Trinity Blood the Movie: The Last Judgement
by Sapphire Rose E
Summary: 3 years had passed since Abel and Ion went out on their jorney. No one can find them and Esther, the new Queen of Albion, worries about Abel every second of her life. Esther then suddenly gets a visit from a priest..who can this person be? abelXesther
1. Prologue & Scene 1 Old Friends Reunite

Prologue

3 years. 3 years had passed since Cain and his men attacked the Vatican and Albion. And Cain was still alive; out there, somewhere. Countless of both Terran and Methuselah had been slaughtered by the Order of Rosenkreuz. Abel Nightroad and Ion, the Duke of Memphis, where searching for him, Cain, to kill him for all the wrong he did.

* * *

Trinity Blood the Movie

Chapter 1: Old Friends Reunite

"_I am weary of my crying: my throat is dried: mine eyes fail while I wait for my God."_

_Psalm 69:3 KJV_

Queen Esther of Albion sat in her throne room as she communicated with Lady Catherine of the Vatican through a hologram. "Have you heard of Father Nightroad yet?" she eagerly asked. She was earnestly looking for Father Abel after he miraculously rose from the dead and disappeared after chasing his brother to kill him. "No, we haven't." Lady Catherine said with compassion. "Honesty, I, I mean we, are looking everywhere for him but haven't found a trace of him."

"I see," Queen Esther's eyes grew sad. "Your Majesty. I truly thought if Abel were to contact anybody it would be you first, but I guess I was mistaken." Lady Catherine tried to comfort. Esther looked at her, shocked at her comment, but then smiled and nodded. Lady Catherine smiled as well and said a farewell; "I'll contact you as soon as I hear anything."

Esther then turned off the monitor. Her eyes grew sad again, _"Abel."_ she thought as the memories of their last encounter before he died. How his face grew pale and appalled when he saw her tear-stained face; how he muttered her name with his last breath.

A tear rolled down Esther cheek and onto her white gloved hand that lay upon her lap. Suddenly a knock came to the door, as Esther whipped the tearstain cheek and said, "Come in." A maid opened the door and bowed before her queen. "My queen," she started, "you have a visitor."

"Who is it?" she asked with a polite tone. "A traveling priest." The maid reported. Esther sighed and said, "Let him in." She really did not want to see any priest for it made her feel even worse about Father Abel. The maid left without a word to get the man. While she fetched him, Esther straightens her poster and fixed the bottom of her dress.

A man with a black priest outfit and long silver hair tied up in a ponytail walked with grace into the room. He bowed with grace in front of Her Majesty. "Your Majesty, Queen Esther, I am honored to be in your presence."

"_This voice,"_Esther wondered, _"I heard it somewhere before."_ She then stood up and gasped, "It can't be! Can it? Abel? Father Abel is that really you?!"

His compassionate blue eyes looked into her blue eyes and he nodded. "My Esther. It has been far too long."

Tears suddenly formed in Esther's blue eyes. The man, whom she was longing to find and thank him for his kindness, was standing in front of her, alive and well.

"My!" she gasped as she hurriedly walked toward him. He smiled as his glasses slid down in nose. He pushed them back up with his middle and index finger. Suddenly she hugged him. He looked appalled at first but warmly welcomed her into his arms.

"Abel," she cried, "Abel why didn't you contact me? Did you not know how worried I was?"

He gave her a sympathetic smile and said, "Forgive me. I did not want to see you hurt by Cain. You know how reckless he is."

"Me?" she asked shaken and pulled her head back to look into his eyes. "I don't ever want to see you hurt again! Th-that time…when you where hurt by Cain. I-I was so helpless and sad! It was my fault entirely! Forgive me Father!" She lunged toward him again.

"_She's still the same; always worrying about others and not herself. In way she's sort of like…like me."_ He thought as he embraced her and smiled with the kindness from deep inside his heart.

* * *

"Lady Catherine." A robotic like voice of a guard of the Vatican said as he came before her in her office in Rome. In Rome night was set upon the city. Only a chandler lighted Lady Catherine's room. With a smile she welcomed him, "Father Tres, so good of you to come. What is the report of the White Demon (Cain)?"

"Affirmative. The White Demon, who was last seen in Allemagne, has made his way into Vanha Suomi." He reported as he stepped closer into the light.

"I see." She said as she rested her head on her hand that leaned on top of her desk. "Father Tres. I want you to go to Albion immediately; go to Queen Esther and protect her."

"Positive." He said and walked out of the room as the iris and pupil of his left eye glowed red.

* * *

Esther and Abel sat in the gardens of the palace at a small table. A maid came to them with a tray of tea with sugar and milk. She placed it in front of them and left them alone. Esther poured him some tea and he watched her with a smile full of tenderness. "Thirteen? Am I right Father Abel? Thirteen sugar cubes?" she asked with an affectionate smile. He smiled a humorous smile and said, "Yes. That would be lovely."

She placed thirteen cubes of sugar into it for him. He looked at her with the tenderness of heart as he thought,_ "She really does know me well. I'm just glad she isn't mad with me. After all I left her without saying a word nor did I even see her." _

"Here you go, Father." She said and moved the cup forward across the table. He took it and lifted it up to his mouth. "Thank you." He said and took a sip. "My this is delious!" He took another sip. "Father, you sure do have a sweet tooth." She giggled. He placed the cup down and said rather seriously but in a shy manner, "Esther you don't have to call me Father anymore. I'd like it if you called me Abel."

"Abel? But you are a priest, aren't you? I should still call you Father Abel." She said appalled at his request. "It's all right. I want you to call me Abel. After all I call you Esther, and you are the Queen Albion!" his face was to its original playful expression.

She giggled lightly and said, "If that is what you want."

A voice from a boy around the age of 15 shouted in the distance at the guards around the garden. "What do you mean I can't see the queen and her visitor?! I'm the Earl of Memphis! I should be allowed to see her! After all, I'm traveling with her visitor!" The guard just stood there like statues and said, "No. We cannot allow anyone in without a word from Her Majesty."

Esther stood up and sighed, "What is going on now? Excuse me Abel. This will only take a moment." She walked east toward the ruckus. "Oh, I don't mind. I'll even come with you." He said amusingly and followed.

Esther walked up to gate of the castle's gardens and asked, "What is going on here?"

Abel with a carefree expression walked behind her. "Abel!" the boy excitedly called.

The guards bowed and said, "My Queen, Queen Esther, this boy wants a presence with you."

"Ion!" Abel gasped rather angry. "I thought you were suppose to be at the inn!"

Ion ignored him and gazed at Esther. "E-Esther? Is that really you?" He asked loosing his grip on the iron gates in front of him. "Ion? My you've grown taller!" She gasped measuring his height and from what she had remember him. "Esther, I didn't even recognize you! I see you grew your hair longer. It looks nice." He complemented.

"Really? You think so? At least **someone** noticed!" she said as she held the ends of her red hair and glared at Father Abel. He laughed faintly, waved his hands back and forth, and said, "It's gorgeous! Honestly! I've been thinking about it all day!"

* * *

Esther, Abel, and Ion sat around a table in a meeting room inside the palace. "Esther, should we contact Lady Catherine about a plan?" Abel suggested as he pushed back his sliding glasses with his index, middle, and ring finger. "Lady Catherine!" Esther gasped. Ion and Abel looked at her confused for a second while she continued; "I was supposed to contact her as soon as I heard from you, Abel." She pushed the button of the circular gold object attached to the middle of the table. A voice spoke from it, "To where and to whom do you wish to speak with?"

Abel and Ion looked at it appalled and confused, but they where also interested with it.

"Lady Catherine of the Vatican in Rome." Esther said. A holographic image of a transparent screen with Lady Catherine's face came up. "Queen Esther," she said, "do you have some news for me?"

"Yes, I do." Esther said. "I found Abel, and also the Earl of Memphis, Ion." Abel's face appeared next to Esther's face on Lady Catherine's screen back in Rome. He smiled and waved, "H-Hello, Lady Catherine. Ha. Ha." The laugh he laughed was a fake one because he could tell that Lady Catherine was mad with him.

"Abel!" she shouted. Abel's face went pale and Esther looked appalled. "Y-yes, Lady Catherine?" he asked cowardly. She looked at him with annoyance. "Abel, you fool! Why didn't you contact Esther or me sooner? Do you know how much you made her (Esther) worry?"

Abel shrunk back in fear of the mad beast-like Lady Catherine. She continued, "Every day the poor girl would call me twice a day to see if we heard anything of you! Goodness!"

Esther looked at the screen appalled at how much she was reprimanding him. "Lady Catherine it's all right. He gets the picture."

"Yes!" he said in a pleading tone.

Lady Catherine relaxed in her chair and sighed. After a moment of silence, she spoke up, "Abel, we found out where the White Demon is."

"What?" Abel gasped lightly as he and his face became very serious. "I'm sending Father Tres to you." She told them.

"_White demon?"_ Esther thought._ "Could it be…Cain?"_

Abel with the most serious face listened attentively to Lady Catherine. "He has made his way from Allemagne to Vanha Suomi. Esther, Your Highness, forgive me to ask, but would you please go with them, to look after Father Abel."

Abel smiled a carefree smile and joked, "It sounds like you are making her my personal babysitter."

"I am." She said as serious as ever.

"What?" he gasped and dropped his jaw. "L-Lady Catherine, you know far well that I can take care of myself!" he renounced.

"Oh? You do? And you take care of yourself so well that you always end up broke and starving before you mission ends?" she remarked and looked up at Esther's face. "So could you?" she pleaded.

Esther was amazed that Lady Catherine would ask her to take care of him but she smiled pleasantly. "I'd love to Lady Catherine."

Abel, who was busy thinking that she would reject Lady Catherine's request, was appalled at her answer. "Really?" he asked. "You don't mind taking care of poor, little, old me?" He sympathized himself. He folded his hands together like he did when he would pray and held them next to his cheeks; his eyes shimmered like a pleading little girl's.

"Of coarse, Father." She said in a calm, quiet tone.

"All right," Lady Catherine said, "Now that, that is cleared up, I give you my prayers and I wish that your journey is safe. Farewell." Then the monitor turned itself off.

"Well then, now that we know our mission let's have dinner! Shall we?' Abel said contently and gave a slight nod.

"_He's back to his normal self."_ Ion thought curiously._ "Why is that? The whole journey he was so serious and a bit sullen."_ He watched Abel laugh at himself when Esther asked if he hadn't been eating normally _"Could it be that,"_ he pondered, _"Esther is the special friend he told me about?"_ He remembered his word on that day before they had left Rome:_ "…I hurt my special friend, who is the most important and precious person in my life."_

* * *

"Oh my!" Abel gasped over the feast in the dining room. A grand feast was prepared for them; it was spread across a fairly large table. "It looks delicious!" He said. Esther smiled, "Go ahead Abel. Dig in." 

"Oh boy!" he cried and began to eat. He looked like a child, who was opening presents, on Christmas morning. "This is delicious!" he said and looked over to Esther, who sat next to him. He started to consume more food. I am glad that you are enjoying your meal." She smiled cheerfully.

He looked back up at her and nodded wildly. "Yes! Yes! I am ever so grateful!"

Esther noticed that on his left cheek was some butter-sauce. "Oh, Abel, you have some sauce on your cheek. Here" She reached over with her napkin in her hand, which was before on her lap, and whipped the sauce off his cheek. Abel watched, surprised, and even blushed a little as her hand under the napkin touched his face.

"There!" she said and pulled her hand back. Ion watched them closely with envy.

_"How dare he let __my__ Esther touch his face!" _he thought as he continued to eat his meal.

* * *

Later that night, after Esther had told them to stay at the palace, a maid showed Ion the way to his room. _"Why did Esther choose to show Abel his room?"_ Ion wondered. The lovely, young maid opened the door to his room, smiled, and said. "Here's your room, Duke of Memphis." He gazed at her, as the setting sun shined on her through the big window next to them. _"S-She's pretty…"_ he thought.

* * *

Esther lead Abel down a hallway as the setting sun shined in on them through the tall, big windows on their right as it cast shadows. Esther opened a door on their left that opened up to grand chamber. "Here's your room, Abel." She said and walked inside to show him around. "Wow, this place is magnificent!" he awed and looked around the room. He spotted the large bed and jumped onto the end of it and sat there. "Ah! This bed is so huge and comfortable!" he sighed and leaned back to lie down. "Ah! This feels nice!"

Esther smiled, "There is a change of clothes in the dresser here and the bathroom is the door next to it."

He looked up, "Thank you." She nodded. _"Something is troubling her,"_ he thought, _"her face looks so nostalgic."_

"W-well Abel, good night." She said and turned to walk out of the room. He sat up and called to her, "Wait Esther." She turned to him, "Hm?" He got up and walked over to her. "Esther, is something troubling you?"

"Abel," she started, "I'm fine really."

"Are you sure?" He asked again. "Because if anything is troubling you, you can tell me; I'm all ears." He put a hand on her shoulder. She looked away and said, "Oh, Abel, I'm scared," she looked into his eyes, I know you'll protect me, but what if you get hurt again?"

"Esther I'll be fine. Now cheer up and go to sleep. I'll see you in the morning," He assured her and took his hand off her shoulder. She nodded, "Yes, Goodnight." She walked out of the room and into her own.

* * *

Next, Scene Two: Dream of the Past.

Avert not thine eyes.


	2. Scene 2 Dream of the Past

Chapter 2: Dream of the Past

"… '_Eye for an eye, and tooth for a tooth:' "_

_Matthew 5:38b KJV_

Abel, who was a young boy around the age of 10 or 11 at the time, sat in a corner of a closed prison-like chamber and looked out the window over looking our planet Earth. A lady with long, red hair came up to the window inside the building and looked at her son. "Abel," she started, "what did you do now?"

"I hate these people!" the young Abel remarked. "They took us away from our home on Earth and brought us to the moon, and for what? Just to experiment on us!"

"Abel," his mother sympathized, "that gives you no right to rebel. God says, '…Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth. But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If someone strikes the right cheek, turn him the other also.' This means if someone does something evil towards you; you don't return them with more evil. You return them with kindness." Then the young Cain came up beside their mother and said, "Abel it's like mother says. I'm personality glad this is happening to me." Abel stood up in anger and yelled, "How can you be glad that we are being tested on?!"

"Younger brother, life on Earth was horrible. Life here is great. We don't have to work or struggle. We can live in _peace_." Cain said and flashed an evil smile. Abel clenched his fist in anger, "How is_this_ peace? Mother, you, and me, and even poor little Seth, are living this horrifying life! How can you be glad?"

Cain just smiled foully at him and mouthed, _"Power. I'll get enough power to rule the world and space."_ Abel read his lips and gasped. He fearfully stared at his older brother as he walked away. Their mother's face looked sad and she talked to Abel once more, "Abel, just remember what I said. Returning evil with more evil will only bring forth even more evil." Then she walked away leaving Abel alone.

Suddenly, time sped forward to about 5 years later. Abel, a young man now, stood by a window and gazed at the beloved planet Earth. "Abel," Cain's voice suddenly came from the door behind Abel. "I finally found you. I found the ultimate power." Abel turned around slowly only to be in complete shock. He was traumatized to see the body of their now dead mother held by her hair in Cain's grip. "C-Cain," he stuttered, "You killed her?! You killed our own mother?!"

"I needed her blood for my power." He blankly told him. Then Seth came rushing into the room, "Abel have you seen moth-" She saw her dead mother on the floor by Cain's feet and Abel, who was about to jump on top of Cain and strangle him and had tears in his eyes. Then the tears flowed from her eyes as she ran behind Abel. Behind him she grasped his legs and cried in sorrow of their dead mother and fear of Cain.

"My dear Seth, why do you run away from me?" He asked her a he took a step toward them. She shuddered and Abel yelled, "Cain! You jerk! I can't believe you killed her!"

Cain grinned wickedly, "Such harsh words, younger brother. You know and I know that I need her blood for power. The power that will make me ruler of space and the world; ruler of Heaven; ruler of Hell."

Abel had transformed while he was talking and ordered Seth to stay back. He leaped at his older brother with his black scythe. "Cain!!!!!!" He yelled and hurled the end of his scythe at him. However, Cain quickly transformed and grabbed the end of it. "Younger brother, why not join me instead of fighting me." Cain said in a scratchy voice. Abel stood there, holding his scythe toward his neck. Cain swiftly disappeared and was suddenly behind him. "I'll make you second in command." He whispered amusingly.

Abel rapidly turned around and swung his scythe again at him, however, he only managed to scratch him. Cain fled around a capsule, which lay in the middle of the room. Abel leaped upward and over the capsule. He dove toward him and swung his giant scythe once more. Cain dodged it, but when he did he fell into the capsule. "Now Seth!" The crusnik-Abel yelled.

Seth, who was in the corner of the room, flipped the switch on the main computer next to her, which sealed the capsule with Cain inside. Cain glared at the from behind the glass.

Abel, who was now in his human state, typed on the main computer. The capsule sunk down through a hole, which opened up underneath it, and was shot out toward the Earth's atmosphere. As soon as it entered the atmosphere it went up into flames as it fell toward the Earth's surface. Abel and Seth watched from the window. "That won't kill him…." Seth said in her soft voice. "I know." Abel said. "Let's just hope that it does."

†

Abel sat up with a jolt in the bed of the room that Esther had lent him, "A dream… of the past." He murmured as sunlight streamed in through the crack between the two curtains, which draped over a tall window. He got up out of bed and grabbed his clothes that were draped on the back of a chair next to him.

He began to change when suddenly the door flew open and Esther came in. "Abel! How long do you plan to sleep for? It's passed nine-" She stopped herself and stared at the haft-dressed Abel. She blushed as her eyes widened. He stared as well and turned slightly red. "Ahhh!" She screamed. "I-I'm s-s-sorry A-Abel!" She slammed the door shut and leaned against it. Her heart pounded against her chest as she still held the door handles. Suddenly the door opened again and she fell into its opener, Abel.

"Opps." He sighed and helped her up. "Careful Esther. We don't want you to get hurt, now do we?" She just stared at his carefree face and gentle, blue eyes, which were hidden behind his glasses, and nodded. She then remembered what she had come to Abel for. "Abel! I just remembered. Father Tres arrived and Lady Catherine is waiting on the other line. We are all waiting for you."

"I see. Well let's get going now, shall we?" He said and started to walk down the hallway. Esther nodded and followed.

†

After a bit of wandering through the big palace, Abel stopped inside a giant room, which was filled with rows and rows of shelves that were cluttered with books, and sighed, "Esther do you have any idea where we are going? Because I'm lost." She sighed, "Abel!" She paused and looked around the room. "Actually, I only came to this part of the palace a couple of times since I've been here."

"So do you have anyway of getting out of here?" He asked rather impatiently. She grabbed his hand and simply said as she lead him out of the room, "We can always retrace out steps."

"Smart Esther!" He exclaimed as he _let_ her drag him along. "Now why didn't I think of that?"

†

After wandering through the palace for a while longer, they finally reached the meeting room. "Father Tres! So good to see you again!" Abel exclaimed as he entered the room.

"Father Abel Nightroad," Father Tres' robotic voice started, "you are 34.568 minutes late."

"Oh, Father Tres, always so precise!" Abel laughed with a small wave of his hand as he took his seat next to Ion and Esther sat down next to him (Abel). "Now let's get this meeting stated." Esther said and pressed the gold button in the middle of the table and the transparent screen came up and showed Lady Caterina's face. "Good morning." She greeted with a smile. "Abel, I hope you haven't been causing trouble again?"

Abel smiled nervously, "No, I've been as perfect as an angel!"

"Besides the fact that you were 34 minutes late!" Ion grumbled loud enough to let Lady Caterina hear. But before Lady Caterina could reprimand him Esther spoke up,

"Lady Caterina, what about our assignment?"

"Yes, your assignment." She paused to think. "Your boat departure from Albion to Nordrvegr is at 1:30pm at Harwich port and your train departure to Harwich is at 11:00am. You should arrive in Nordrvegr around 7:00am tomorrow. Now for your disguises." She said with a sly smile and looked at Father Tres, "Father Tres you are Abel's brother."

"Affirmative." He said without hesitation and she continued.

"Ion, you are Father Tres' page boy." Ion nodded in agreement. "Father Abel and Queen Esther," she said and looked at the two. They nodded in unison. "You two will be the newly wed couple." She said with a smile. Abel's and Esther's eyes grew wide.

"N-Newly wed?" Esther gasped.

"Couple?" He asked right after and Ion gave Lady Caterina and Abel a sour look.

"Yes, a newly wed couple. Did I stutter?"

"No." Abel sighed. "But why us?'

"Yeah why them? Why not Esther and I?" Ion tried to ask but Lady Caterina just ignored him by answering Abel's question.

"Because you two are the prefect couple! I mean, Ion is a child and not old enough even to marry and Father Tres' is an android, so why not? You two are like made for each other anyway." She said with a smile and wave of her hand. Esther felt her face getting red when Lady Caterina said that and Abel's face was a bit pink as well.

"So that's settled than!" Lady Caterina said with a smile. "Farwell, take care of yourselves, and have a safe journey. I'll contact you once you get into Nordrvegr. God Bless and so long." Her image disappeared along with the screen.

The maid who showed Ion his room yesterday came into the room with bundles of clothing draped on her two arms. "Your Grace, here are the clothes Lady Caterina asked to give to you." She started to make her way toward Esther when she tripped on the dangling clothes and fell face first onto the floor. Ion ran to her and Esther gasped. The maid felt she was being picked up and lifted her head to see the young Methuselah helping her.

"Are you all right?" He asked as he held her by the arm. She nodded, stood up, and fixed her short brown hair, which was cut to lie around her neck and on her shoulders. She bent down and picked up the clothes and Ion helped her. "Which is mine?" He asked after he gave her the clothes that he picked up. She walked to the table and set them down. After she rummaged through them she pulled out a pair of black pants, which were patched here and there with a little different shade of black, and a white button down shirt made from silk. "Here you go Master Ion." She said as she handed it to him. He took it and smiled.

"Thank you."

She smiled and nodded. She began to dig in the pile of clothes again. "And for Father Tres." she pulled out a black pair of pants quite similar to Ion's but only they where longer and a bit bigger and a white polo-like shirt with a black suit-like jacket with a gray trim.

Father Tres took it tranquilly and said, "There is no need for me to a disguise."

The maid ignored him and was sorting out the last two outfits. She picked up the male's and said, "Father Nightroad, here is yours." She handed him a pair of pants, which were similar to Father Tres' but were dark brown and a pearl colored button down silk shirt that was similar to Ion's and a jacket, which was similar to Father Tres', but it was colored mocha brown with a cayenne trim. Abel gladly took it without a word, but had on a simple and goofy smile.

"Now for Your Grace." She said and turned to Esther. She picked up her Queen's outfit and handed it to her. Esther took the outfit kindly. It was a long, thin, black jumper, which flowed this way and that at the end, and had a v-neck and small, wide straps. The outfit had a white silk blouse to wear under the jumper and a big maroon colored shawl, which was a bit tattered.

"Thank you, Aeron." Esther said. Aeron nodded and was almost about to walk out of the room when she remembered something.

"Oh! Your Grace I forgot something." She reached inside her pocket of her maid's dress and pulled something out. She gave one of whatever she had to Esther and Abel.

"What's this?" They both asked in unison as they looked at the small pieces of circular gold metal.

Aeron laughed slightly and said, "Fake Wedding rings." Both Esther's and Abel's eyes grew wide and they looked at each other while they blushed.

Aeron giggled again, "Lady Caterina said that you two must wear these on your left ring finger since you two are pretending to be a newly wed couple." Ion furiously looked at Abel, who looked appalled to it, but smiled and slipped the ring on his left ring finger. Esther slipped it on hers also.

†

They departed from the room and each went into several smaller rooms to change. Aeron, who would follow her Queen wherever she went, followed and helped her change even though Esther told her its okay and that she could do it by herself, but Aeron insisted to help her still. After she was changed, her and Aeron headed back to the meeting room where everyone else was.

Aeron opened the big chestnut colored pair of double doors and they both waltzed into the room. Abel and Ion gave Esther a smile signifying that she looked lovely. She blushed and looked at the floor when she saw _Abel's smile_.

"Father Nightroad, Queen Esther, Earl of Memphis we should get going. Our train departure is in 45.57 minutes." Father Tres reported.

"It's time to leave already?" Esther sighed sadly and looked at her loyal maid.

"Have a safe journey Your Majesty." Aeron said and to her surprise Esther hugged her.

"Thank you, Aeron. I'll miss you."

Abel watched Esther carefully and thought,_ "She really is a kind person. Even though she is the Queen of Albion she treats her maid as if she was her sister."_

"I'll miss you too." Aeron said as a tear fell from her left eye and onto Esther's shoulder.

Esther then broke the hug and whipped the tears that had started to form in her eyes. "Well, shall we be going?" Esther said as she turned her male friends.

"Positive. We must be going." Father Tres said and Abel took a step forward toward Esther and held his left hand out to her. "

Shall we?" His compassionate voice went straight into her heart and she accepted it.

"Yes, we should get going now."

Ion stared at them with jealousy. Father Tres stared at Ion and asked, "Earl of Memphis are you all right?'

Abel and Esther nodded to each other and said in unison, "To Nordrvegr."

†

Nest, Scene Three: "To Nordrvegr"

Avert Not Thine Eyes


	3. Scene 3 To Nordrvegr

Chapter 3 "To Nordrvegr."

"_So is the great and wide sea, within are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts."_

_Psalm 104: 25 KJV_

Esther sat on the seat of the train next to Abel. She was nervous because he was so close to her. Sure they used to sit next to each other all the time but never did they pretend to be married. She tightened her grip on her dress but then slowly lighten her grip. Eventually she let her hands slide down to touch the seat. But her left hand touched something other then her seat. Instead it touched a big, warm hand. She, with a face as red as a tomato, looked at Abel's face. He smiled his goofy but caring smile at her, which made her turn even redder. She quickly drew her hand back toward her mouth and turned her head toward the window on her right. There she watched the moving scenery.

Ion had growled silently when he saw Esther touch his hand, then Abel smiling at her, and then her turning away. Oh, how his mind was filled with envy, although he didn't show it. _"He knows how much I love her."_ He grumbled silently._ "But for some reason when ever I had mentioned her name, his eyes would grow sad but his smile would be pure and affectionate."_

†_  
_

The long train ride was quickly over and soon the quartet headed for Harwich's main port, where they would get on a boat and sail to Nordrvegr. They could see the ocean, boats, docks, and the sea gulls and pigeons, which were flying about the port. They looked out over the scenery from the hill and street that they were on.

Suddenly Abel's pace slowed down and he placed a hand on his stomach. Felling that she was now literally dragging Abel, Esther stopped and turned to him. "Abel, what's the matter?"

"My-my stomach…." He moaned. Esther hovered over him and said, "Abel what's wrong? Is it a stomachache? Appendicitis?" When she said the word_appendicitis_ she became even more worried about him. "My stomach is…empty." He said faintly.

"Empty?!" She choked. "You mean your hungry? That's all?"

He nodded, "Yes." Ion looked annoyed at him. Father Tres just stared blankly at all of them. "Abel! I thought you where truly sick! Are you trying to sent me to an early grave?"

"No." He shook his head weakly. "I'm not trying to do that. I'm just…really hungry." He said sheepishly. "Well, I guess we can grab something to eat." She said in almost a sigh.

"Negative, Esther. Our boat departure is in 960 seconds in counting." Father Tres said.

"Only 16 minutes!" Ion gasped. Esther tugged on Abel's arm. "Come on, Abel. I know you can make it. Only a little farther and then you can eat on the boat." Abel nodded in agreement and soon he slowly walked behind Esther once again.

†

They finally reached the dock and quickly boarded their boat. Not once in her life had Esther ridden on a fast boat. Sure she rode in little lake boats and gondoliers, but never had she ridden on a big boat, which moved so fast. The boat soon left the dock and was headed out into the North Sea and toward Nordrvegr.

†

Abel sat in their room (his and Esther's eek) and sat at the small table and ate some bread and portage with some water to drink. Their room had two beds (phew), a small oil lamp, a small nightstand, a dresser, a small bathroom, and a round, metal trimmed window. Esther smiled at him from the other side of the table as he ate contently, but for some strange reason she felt sick in her stomach. "This is like the first meal I cooked you." She said remembering the night of when he had entered into her life. He nodded.

"But your cooking was better than this." He said with his mouth full.

"Abel, please don't speak with your mouth full." She calmly reprimanded him. He nodded and continued to first his meal.

Esther had enough with her stomachache, so she decided to go up stairs out onto the deck. "Abel," she said getting up, "I'm going up to the deck to get some fresh air."

"Okay. I'll come with you." He said noticing her pale face. "I must give the dishes back to the chef and tell him 'thank you' for the meal." She nodded. She headed out of the room and to the flight of wooden stairs that separated the top deck and the lower quarters. He followed silently with his normal goofy smile.

†

On the top deck Esther leaned her waist and arms against the railing and let the wind blow through her light scarlet hair. Abel saw her as her walked back over to her after he given the chef the back the dishes and told him thanks. _"Her complexion is pale."_ He thought as he made is way toward her.

"Esther?" He started as he stood next to her. "Are you all right? You seem a bit pale."

"Yeah, I'm just fine-" she started but was cut off by vomit that crawled up her throat and enter into her mouth. She leaned over the railing and threw up. Abel stood appalled at the hunched over Esther. He came even closer to her and began to rub on her back carefully.

"You are not all right." He whispered.

"Is this what they call _seasickness_?" she asked before she had to throw up again, which she did.

"Yes." He said and continued to rub her back.

Ion and Father Tres came up from the lower quarters and saw Esther and Abel. Ion ran to "his" dear Esther's side. "Esther? What's wrong?"

She tired to answer but she could because she threw up again, so Abel answered for her, "Just a little seasickness, Ion. Nothing not normal."

"Not normal? How is_this_ normal?" Esther groaned but then began to throw up again.

"Ion, could you go get someone to give her some medicine to calm her stomach?" Abel said worrying about poor Esther's health.

"Right! I will!' he said running off.

Abel watched the young teen go as he caressed her back. "Tres, could you check and see if this is just-" Abel started but then Father Tres cut him off,

"I already did Abel. It's normal seasickness."

Abel sighed in relief. Esther looked up at him, "What do you mean to check to see if this is just normal seasickness?" He didn't say anything to her he just continued to rub her back. She leaned again over the railing to throw up. _ "I hate this."_ Esther thought after she caught her breath.

" 'Master' Tres! 'Master' Abel! 'Madam' Esther!" Ion called to them signifying that he had someone with him. He ran up to them dragging a man in his early 30s, who was dressed in long navy pants, a white silk button down shirt, and wore a black three corner hat.

"Oh, good job Ion." Abel smiled. "Sir, could you help my _wife_."

Esther felt her checks burn with embarrassment, but luckily it didn't show because she was pale. She felt nervous when he said the word_ wife_ because they weren't even married and she didn't even tell him that _she loved him_ yet.

"She has seasickness, mate? Poor Sheila. Come bring her to her room and someone bring a dry bucket and a bucket filled with cold Adam's ale." Father Tres understood the word_ Adam's ale_, but everyone else didn't, so he ended up getting the water. Abel picked up Esther, and she would have been as red as her hair if in wasn't for her paleness, and he brought her back to their room. When they came in he laid her in her bed and helped her with her covers.

"So sweet, mate. You two look just how my wife and I looked on our honeymoon. Well except the fact that we didn't get sick." The man replied as he walked into the door with a woman around the same age as him. Abel blushed slightly at his comment. "This is my wife, Jasmine." He introduced, "Honey, this is…" He paused. "Excuse me, but I never seem to have caught your name, mate."

"Abel. Abel Nightroad. This is my 'wife' Esther Bl-" he caught himself, "Nightroad."

The man chuckled, "Well mate, I'm Caspian, Captain Caspian Miller. But you can call me Caspian."

Esther weakly sat up a bit. "Abel." She groaned. "Give me that can there."

Abel grabbed the metal trashcan by the small nightstand and handed it to her. She then buried her head inside it and began to throw up again. Abel looked at her sadly; he felt so bad for poor Esther. "Abel," she cried. "It hurts so much." He rubbed her back again. He had no idea what to say except, "I know. I'm sorry, but you'll feel better soon."

Ion and Father Tres came in with the bucket of water and another bucket. Ion gave Esther a sympathic look and at Abel he looked like had was about to kill him. Abel looked at the angry teen confused.

"Sir, would you put that bucket on the nightstand and lad give the Shelia the bucket in your hand." Jasmine instructed. Father Tres and Ion obeyed. Jasmine came over to the bucket of water and took a handkerchief out of her pocket. She dipped it in the cold water, rolled it into a rectangle, made Esther lie down, and then placed the cold, wet handkerchief on her forehead. "Mister Nightroad." Jasmine whispered.

Abel looked at her, "Yes, Misses Miller?"

She turned and said, "Could you bring me a glass of Adam's ale?" Abel nodded and elbowed Ion in his side to signal him to get it. Ion moaned lightly, but then left the room and quickly came back with a cup of water.

"Thank you, young man." Jasmine said as she took the cup away from Ion. She pulled out a small envelope from her pocket and poured the content into the water. She then helped Esther up and said, "Here sweetie, drink this." Esther cupped her hands around the cup and drank it quickly. She gave the cup back to Jasmine and immediately fell asleep. Abel and Ion gasped when she saw her fast asleep.

Jasmine giggled, "It's only a side effect. She should wake up in a few hours."

"Abel, why not come to my office. Mate," he said turning to Father Tres, "you can come to if you want."

"Affirmative." Father Tres said. Abel looked at Esther, he felt so bad for her._"Poor Esther."_ He thought. _"She must feel terrible."_

Caspian looked at Abel and asked, "Abel are you coming?"

Abel shook his head slightly, "I think I'll stay here and keep her company."

"I'll stay here for you 'Master' Abel!" Ion spoke up, but Jasmine shushed him and lightly pushed him toward the door.

"Abel, we're going to have a big dinner on the main deck at nine o'clock. We hope you and your wife will be there, okay mate." Caspian said before he closed the door. When he saw Abel smile and nod he closed the door leaving the two alone.

Abel pulled the chair next to the window and opened it. The salty wind blew into the room and on his face. It rustled his silver hair as he stared out into the open sea. For the rest of the evening he stared out the window or looked and checked on Esther to see if she was all right.

†

_Next, Scene Four: Abel's Voice_

_Avert Not Thine Eyes _


	4. Scene 4 Abel's Voice

Chapter 4: Abel's voice

"_Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious."_

_Psalm 66:2 KJV_

Esther slowly opened her sapphire colored eyes to see a dark room and heard a lovely tenor voice singing. She looked over at the window to see Abel as he stared out into the starry early August night sky. She closed her eyes again and listened to his beautiful tenor voice:

_"Grace is flowing like a river,_

_From the mount of Calvary._

_Look to Jesus Christ the Giver;_

_He from sin can set you free._

_Grace is flowing like a river;_

_Millions there have been supplied._

_Still it flows as fresh as ever,_

_From the Savior's wounded side._

_Grace is flowing like a river._

_Heaven's fountain ever floweth;_

_All our need has been supplied._

_Taste His love, receive His mercy;_

_No one yet has been denied;_

_No one is denied._

_Through the blood of Christ forgiven,_

_Dry the tears from every face._

_Through His cross an heir of Heaven,_

_Even more a child of grace._

_Grace is flowing like a river;_

_Millions there have been supplied._

_Still it flows as fresh as ever,_

_From the Savior's wounded side_

_Come to Jesus weary sinners,_

_Calvary's river flows today._

_All who plunge beneath that fountain,_

_Wash their guilty stains away._

_Grace is flowing like a river;_

_Millions there have been supplied._

_Still it flows as fresh as ever,_

_From the Savior's wounded side_

_Grace is flowing like a river._

_Grace is flowing like a river." _(Song from_ The Centurion _by Ron Hamilton.)

"Abel, you have a nice singing voice." Esther said with her eyes still closed.

Abel spun around toward her and asked, "Esther are you awake now?" She opened her eyes, sat up, and nodded. He blushed, "Did I awake you?"

She shook her head. "No." She began to change the subject. "Abel, how come I've never heard you sing until now?"

Abel still blushed and answered, "Because I can't sing."

Esther gasped, "Abel! If you can't sing then where was that beautiful tenor voice coming from?"

"M-me." He shyly said and blushed a little.

"Abel, what time is it?" She asked He glanced at the clock next to the door.

"9:15pm" He said. He got up and walked over to her. "How are you feeling?" He asked and sat on he bed next to her.

"Much better. Thank you." She replied with a nod of her head.

"Do you feel like eating?" He asked.

"Yeah, I guess so." She replied she didn't really know what to say, after all she was sick a couple of hours ago.

"Jasmine and the captain invited us for dinner. They said it would be ready at nine."

She pulled the blankets off of her and got off the bed. She stood there weakly at first but then regained her strength. "Let's go." She said with a smile.

He gasped, "Esther, are you sure you're all right?" She nodded and walked over to him.

†

They walked up to the main deck together. Lanterns were strung around the ship on masks and rails. A table was centered by one of the main masks and Jasmine, Caspian, Tres, and Ion gathered around it. Plates filled with food such as potatoes and corn were set around a haft eaten roast pig and a haft eaten pie was in the corner. When Ion saw them, he stood up, " 'Master' Abel! 'Madam' Esther, are you feeling all right now?"

"I'm just fine Ion. Thank you for your concern." She said and looked at the table. She stopped right there and stared at the light-blue vase filled with a few roses. _Red_ roses. Her legs cramped up and she fell on her knees onto the cold, metal floor. Abel rushed to her side and so did Ion.

"Esther, what's the matter?" Abel asked as he put a hand on her shoulder. She looked at with a face so pale and wide eyes as if she had seen a ghost.

She clung to his jacket and whimpered," R..r..roses…"

Ion looked at her a little disappointed that she didn't cling to him but he also looked at her confused. _"Roses? Is she afraid of roses? Why?" _These questions and many more flowed into his head.

"Roses?" Abel repeated and looked at the table. He saw the vase. "Jasmine, could you remove through roses. I don't think she likes them." Jasmine nodded and took them into her husband's office.

"Look Esther. They're gone now." Abel comforted. Still she was devastated and clung to him.

She whispered, "A…bel…why…why did…y..you leave me be..behind?"

"Esther? What are you talking about?" He said. _"Wait! She doesn't mean when I left to hunt down Cain, does she?" _He wondered.

"_I hear the sorrowful creaking of old wings of a black angel." _Esther thought to herself. She finally blinked a few times and said, "Abel? You didn't leave me after all. I'm sorry. Did I make everyone worry?" Everyone's worry left their faces with a sigh of relief. Esther tried to get up but her legs were still cramped. "Ow," she winced and fell back down. "My legs are cramped."

Abel smiled and knelt back down next to her. He reached down and began to gingerly rub her left leg. Ion bent down as well and began to rub her right one. After a while of gentle rubbing, Esther felt the blood rush through her legs again. She stood up with the help of Abel and Ion and they went back to the table. With a quick word of grace, Abel filled his plate with food and then Esther's (of coarse, he gave her less than what he took). They all talked, sat, and ate around the table and had a merry good time. Soon it was very late and they departed to their rooms for bed.

†

Abel lay in his bed and looked at the ceiling. Not a noise could be heard in the partly dark room, except the gentle sound of the waves and the scratching noise of Esther's pen as she wrote to Aeron:

"…_We are having a great time together. Father Abel, Father Tres, and Ion are protecting me well._

_Sincerely,_

_Esther Blanchett"_

She wrote and closed the letter. She put it into an envelope and sealed it. She got up and blew out the candle on the table. Now the room was completely dark except for the light of the moon, which came in through the round window, was there.

Carefully she walked to her bed and sat down. She pulled off her shoes and stockings. She looked at Abel noticed that he was sleeping soundly with the blankets at the end of the bed. She smiled and got up. She pulled the up to this collarbone. She whispered, "You'll catch cold like that." She crawled into her own bed and wrapped the covers around her like a caterpillar would wrap a cocoon around itself. Soon she had drifted off it a peaceful sleep.

†

_Next, Scene Five Dangerous Incounters_

_Avert Not Thine Eyes _


	5. Scene 5 Deadly Encounters

Chapter 5 Deadly Encounters

"_Save me, O God; for the waters are come in unto my soul."_

_Psalm 69:1 KJV_

Abel woke from his toasty slumber abruptly. He had 'that' dream again. The dream of when Esther first saw his crusnik form._ "She was so afraid of me. She called out numerous times, 'Monster!' and 'Stay back!'."_ He remembered her tearstain face and the fright that overwhelmed her causing her to faint. He looked over at the bundled up Esther on the bed next to him. _"Esther, I'm not a 'monster' anymore like I was. After I met you I made a vow to change my ways. If I would meet a dangerous vampire again, I wouldn't suck their blood. I'll just kill him. But that night I had to drink Ion's blood. Only to protect you Esther! Esther..."_ Suddenly his crusnik senses kicked in warning him of danger. He left the room after he placed his blanket on Esther to give more warmth.

†

Esther woke up sleepily after she heard the door shut. She looked at the extra blanket and then she looked at Abel's bed. He was gone. She shot up and yelled quietly, "Abel!" She got out of bed swiftly, slipped her shoes on, and ran to the door. For some reason, she knew something was wrong. She raced down the walkway to the main deck.

†

Abel, who was already on the main deck, looked around carefully. He was searching for something. Suddenly he saw Caspian and Jasmine at the end of deck by the nose of the ship. He started to walk over to them when they suddenly turn around to him.

Both Jasmine and Caspian were startled. They felt relieved to see Abel and sighed. "Boy, mate, you gave us quite a scare. We thought that you were a_ Methuselah_."

"_That's odd."_ Abel thought. _"Usually humans call 'Methuselah' vampires."_

"How's your wife?" Jasmine asked and that's when Abel noticed something strange about Jasmine's mouth. She had _fangs_. _Methuselah's fangs._ Abel looked at Caspian as well. He had them too. Abel gasped, "Wait a second, you guys are Methuselah!"

"Honey, it seems that the Terran figured us out." Jasmine said as she tugged at her husband's arm. "It seems that he did. Oh well, I have been craving for some blood anyway." Caspian said as he leaped at Abel. Abel retreated backwards toward the door that leaded to the lower deck. (That wasn't smart Abel.)

Esther opened the door quickly and saw Caspian flying toward Abel and him retreating. "Damn! Esther, get back inside!" He yelled over his shoulder.

She went to close the door but it was too late. Jasmine grabbed Esther and brought her to the nose of the boat. "Looks like the little missy here came out to join the feast!" Jasmine said as she examined her face and neck. Esther swarmed and kicked but the Methuselah's grip was too strong for her to break out of. She screamed as Jasmine lowered her mouth to her neck. She extended her fangs out and went to bite Esther.

"Esther!" Abel cried with a scratchy voice and suddenly Jasmine was thrown off of her. Esther looked at Abel with a bit of fright. He had transformed into a crusnik. She managed to calm down after thinking that Abel was somewhere deep instead that _monster_.

The door to the lower deck was opened once more as Ion and Father Tres rushed out. "Esther! Abel!" Ion yelled. "Are you all right?" He rushed to Esther's side. She nodded and he sighed a sigh of relief.

"Damage report, Father Nightroad." Father Tres said while loading a gun. He transformed back into his human self. "I'm all right."

"Looks like we have even more prey. My, my, Master _Cain_ will be pleased this." Caspian said to his wife.

Everyone looked at him with a gasp, "Cain?"

With that name, _Cain_, Abel transformed back into a crusnik. He flew towards them with a powerful leap and his scythe in his hand. _Swoosh_! He swung his scythe but the two Methuselah dodge it. "I see you're not human as well." Jasmine chuckled. "What are you? A monster?" Caspian mocked. Abel looked at them irritatingly.

"_No! Abel's not a monster! He's an..an..an angel!" _Esther thought to herself. She wanted to yell out her thoughts but she decided to hold back her tongue. She didn't want to cause more trouble.

Meanwhile, Father Tres began to fire at them. They turned to him and flew toward him. "Hasty fool! We'll dink your blood too!" Caspian yelled and grabbed his arm. Jasmine leaped for his neck. Father Tres tried to shot at her but in was futile. Instead of shooting her, he shot a barrel of oil and a fuse box. Oil poured out all over the floor next to the fuse box. Sparks flew this way and that out of the box causing the broken barrel to catch on fire.

The fire spread from the barrel to the oil and soon the ship was into flames. Machine parts began to blow up left and right. "Cursed Terrans!" Caspian yelled and let go of Father Tres. He then kicked the Methuselah and set him flying back a bit.

"Father Tres! Ion! Get Esther off the ship!" Abel yelled in his deep, scratchy voice.

Ion nodded and spoke to Esther, "On the count of three we're going to jump, all right?" She nodded and climbed the railing, while she held on to Ion waist for support. "One, two, three!" Ion yelled and they jumped into the semi-freezing sea. They sank a bit and then broke through the water's surface for air. Father Tres followed after. (A/N He's an aroid but his like waterproof or something…)

"There goes our prey!" Caspian complained. "Oh well. We can have a good fight with this _monster_." He said and turned to Abel.

Abel stood in the port area as flames surrounded the area. "Nanomachine: Crusnik 02, power input 80 percent acknowledged." His old, black wings spread out across his back, shielding him from the flames.

The two Methuselah charged at him and when they got close enough, he sliced both of them in haft with two swings of his scythe. Their body, or what's left of them, flew into the flames. With the last of his breath Caspian called out, "Wha-what kind of a being are you?"

"A Crusnik; a vampire who feds on the blood of other vampires. But I'll spare you of drinking your blood. Rest in peace." Abel said and flew towards the bow of the ship and from there the sea.

†

Esther, Ion, and Father Tres watch the ship as it started to sink down into the depths of the sea. Esther looked at the ship devastated and said, "Father Tres? Ion? Where's Father Nightroad?"

Ion shook his head; he had no idea where Abel was. Father Tres just said, "Negative, Queen Esther. I cannot detect any known sources of Father Nightroad." Tears formed in Esther's eyes and se shook her head. "N-No! That can't be! Father Nightroad…" She started to swim back to sinking ship. "ABEL!!!" She screamed and then Ion grabbed Esther's wrist and pulled her back.

"Esther, that's too dangerous."

"Dangerous?" She squeaked in between sobs. "No, I must go and find him Ion! I must save him! He saved me so many times! Now I have to save him! Father Nightroad… Abel!!!" She screamed and began to turn back to the sinking ship.

Then somebody said, "Yes, Esther?" She looked and saw Abel, who was cleaning out his ear with a finger because in was now ringing for Esther screaming in his ear, treading water.

"Abel!" She gasped. "Thank goodness!"

"Father Nightroad, Ion, Queen Esther we must get to shore." Father Tres said breaking the reunion.

"Yes, we should. We don't want anybody dying of hypothermia!" Abel joked.

"Abel, don't joke about that." She reprimanded him like she was his mother. They started to swim to the shore. They were about 50 miles from shore, when Esther became very tired. Abel offered to give her a ride and she willingly accepted it. Her wet body and drenched clothes clung to his soaked back and jacket. Being a crusnik he had no problem in swimming and carrying her. Ion and Father Tres had no problem in swimming far distances either.

Soon all four of them reached a dock in Nordrvegr. They climbed up onto the wooden dock and looked out over the ocean. It was still dark out. Esther sneezed and shivered from the cold.

Suddenly a man, who had a flashlight in his hand and wore black trousers, a silk, white button-down shirt, and a grey-black vest, walked down the dock. The quartet was about to jump off the dock and backing the water to hide when the man called out, "Abel? Abel Nightroad, is that you?" He shined the flashlight onto their faces.

†

_Next, Scene Six: Arrival in Nordegvr_

_Avert Not Thine Eyes _


	6. Scene 6 Arrival in Nordrvegr

"_Abel? Abel Nightroad? Is that you?" The man called out and shined a flashlight onto their faces._

Chapter 6: Arrival in Nordrvegr

"… _our God whom we serve is able to deliver us…, and he will deliver us out of thine hand…." _

_Daniel 3: 17_

Abel put his arm over his forehand to block the sudden wave of light and squinted to see the man better. He approached them quickly and soon Abel recognized the man's face. "Jacques? Is that that you?" He said and walked up to the man. "Well, look here it is you, Jacques!"

"Abel! It's so good to see you again! Ion, how have you been doing my boy?" He said with a light wave of his hand toward him. "Hello, Jacques. I've been just fine." Ion replied.

"What are you going here?" Abel asked shortly after Ion's comment. "After you left Francia to go see someone in Albion, Pierre and I came here to Nordrvegr and opened a inn." He explained. "Come, you and your friends look tired, you can rest up at the inn. Did you guys swim here?"

"Well, sort of." Abel laughed. Jacques laughed with him and began to walk down the dock again to the street.

They followed him to a near by inn. It was a cozy three-story, brick red house with a big sign on the front written in some foreign langue. Jacque opened the door and the soft tingling of the entering bell attached to the door was heard.

He let all of them coming inside to the warm house. When they entered, the place looked like it was a restaurant or a café. There were small tables with 3-4 chairs scattered around the room, a bar-like area was in the left side of the room where a man slept with his head buried into his arms behind the counter, a big fireplace with a nice toasty-warm fire, a coffee table next to it and a few couches, and a stair case was in the left corner next to the bar-like area. The place smelled like tea herbs and fresh baked bread.

"_Such a wonderful aroma!"_ Esther thought when she entered into the room.

Jacques walked over to the sleeping man and abruptly awoke him. "Pierre, you fool, quit sleeping! We've got guess."

Pierre looked up, sleepy-eyed. His pale blonde hair, which was pulled back into a small queue, was rather messy and some of his lose bangs fell into his face and eyes. When he rubbed the tiredness away from his eyes and saw his guess he stood up. He came out from behind the counter and exclaimed, "Abel! Well, I'll be! It's you! Oh look here, Ion is here too! How have you been? It must be troublesome to look after Abel day in and out."

"Well I'm not that bad, am I?' Abel asked in a sulking manor.

Pierre just ignored him and took notice to the girl next to Ion. "Well, well! What a beauty! What is your name my dear lady?" He said and took her hand gracefully and kissed it as he bowed slightly.

Abel came behind Esther and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Esther jumped slightly but then relaxed when Abel said, "Pierre, Jacques, this is my 'wife' Esther."

"Whoo! Abel so that's why you went to Albion! To get married to your girlfriend." Jacques yelled and clapped a bit.

Pierre sulked at first and muttered, "Another beauty that I cannot woo." He then smiled at Abel, "Congratulations."

Abel put on a fake smile and thought, _"Good. They are going along with our plan."_ He then bent down and whispered into Esther's ear. "Esther, be careful around Pierre. He's…well…how should I put this…he's a womanizer." His breath tickled her ear. She felt that she had died and gone to heaven. But then, when she heard that Pierre was a womanizer her dreams crashed and she blushed.

"I...I see." She gasped.

"Well, Esther, you must be freezing, no? You should go upsides and take a shower first." Pierre said and gestured with his hand to the staircase. "I'll show you the way."

She was hesitant at first and looked at Abel. He nodded her a small nod signifying that it was all right. She followed Pierre up the stairs and down the hallway. He came to a stop at the last door on his left, opened it up, and went inside. Esther followed him inside to a small bathroom equipped with a toilet, a flat shower, and a sink with a counter top, a mirror cabinet over the sink, a towel rack, and a small closet.

"There's towels on the rack and a change of clothes are inside the closet. Soap and shampoo is on the small rack inside the shower." Pierre said and showed her where they were. Before he left and shut the door he said, "If there's anything you need just yell and one of us will come." She nodded and he shut the door.

She undressed herself from her cold wet clothes and hung them on a hook on the back of the door. She turned the shower on and waited for some warm water. When it was finally warm enough for her, she went underneath the waterfall of water. "This is nice." She whispered to herself and began to wash herself.

†

She was soon done washing herself and turned the shower off. She climbed out and wrapped herself in a white, fluffy towel. Suddenly she saw a long, brown fur ball race pass her feet. "R-R-Raaaaattttttttt!!!!!" She screamed.

The men down stairs heard her scream and raced upstairs to her. Abel was the first to open the door and was startled to see Esther, with nothing on but a towel on, sitting on the counter of the sink. She jumped into his arms and cried, "Abel!! There's a rat!! A big, brown, furry rat!"

Jacques and Pierre made there way into the bathroom. "Rat you say?" Jacques, who was calm as ever, asked. "Yes," she replied, "Abel, kill it! Kill it now!"

"No!" Pierre said picking up the brown 'rat' that was hiding behind the toilet. "Coffeé (c-aw-fé ) , isn't a rat. She's a ferret."

"A ferret?" Esther repeated and let go of Abel, who was still blushing from the fact that Esther had only a towel on and then she hugged him. Pierre held up the Coffeé to Esther's face. The ferret twitched her nose and smelled Esther. Esther backed up, frightened.

"Don't worry, Esther. It's only way of saying, 'hello'." He said and pulled the ferret back.

"Um…Pierre shouldn't we let Esther finish her shower?" Abel, whose cheeks were still red, spoke up.

"Oh, Abel, you're absolutely right. Come on, Pierre." Jacques said and pulled his friend out of the bathroom. "Continue your shower, Mrs. Nightroad." He said and closed the door.

Esther nodded and blushed from the fact that he called her "Mrs. Nightroad". _"Man, this is all Lady Caterina's fault! She just had to make Abel and I married! Why couldn't just make us siblings!"_ She thought as she looked into the mirror.

Soon Esther finished clearing herself up and joined the others down stairs. To her surprise, Father Abel, Father Tres, and Ion had already changed into other clothes. She strode down the stairs in a pair of male's black pants and a male's navy blue, wool sweater.

"Oh, 'Madam' Esther! You look very nice. Are you feeling all right now?" Ion said and he smiled.

"Oh, yes, much better, thank you." Esther said and walked down to the coffee table where everybody sat by the fire on the couches and chairs. "Jacques, I hung my clothes on the porch in the room next door to the bathroom. I hope that all right?" She said and pointed up stairs.

"Yes, that's fine!" He exclaimed and clapped his hands once.

She looked at the coffee table and saw handless, cinnamon-brown colored mugs filled with hot chocolate and tea. There was one that was filled to the brim with sugar and she sighed as she thought, _"I take it that one is Abel's."_

"Esther, would you like a hot drink?" Abel asked as he saw her eyeing his tea with thirteen spoonfuls of sugar. (A/N: Yeah when I was writing this I felt that I needed to try drinking tea with 13 spoonfuls of sugar, so I did. But I could only put 11 in because my dad starting yelling at me. Oh well it was good! It could use more though…)

Esther hesitated a second and then said, "Yes, please. I'll have a tea with two spoonfuls of sugar and a bit of milk."

Jacques looked at Pierre, who was drinking his hot chocolate, and elbowed him in his side. He choked a bit on his hot chocolate and gasped, "Hot!" Then he set his cup down and got up to make Esther her tea.

Esther took her seat in the middle of Abel and Ion on the couch. She sighed and leaned back against the couch.

"So Abel," Jacques started, "what are you doing here in Nordvegr?"

Abel, who was drinking his sugar—err tea––, choked on it. He dropped his mug and leaned over his stomach to cough. "Abel!" Ion and Esther yelled and stood up. Esther came closer to him and patted his back.

"I'm…fine! Real…really! I...just…breathed in…some sugar. That's…that's all!" He said in between coughs as tears nipped the corner of his eyes. After his coughing fit was over he sat back down with a big sigh. Esther looked down at the broken mug and spilled sugar and tea; she sighed, "Abel, look at the mess you made." She bent down and began to pick up the pieces of the mug.

Pierre came over with a wet rag and handed it to her. She took it and then he left to check on the kettle with the hot water for her tea. She put the big pieces on the coffee table and began to pick up the smaller ones. Then a fragment pricked her. She flinched back in pain as blood slowly bubbled out of it. She stuck her finger inside her mouth and began to suck on it to stop the blood.

Abel noticed her as she sucked her finger and smelled the blood. He bent over and took a gentle hold on her hand signaling to remove her finger out of her mouth. She removed it and he said, "Jacques, do you have a small bandage? It seems Esther cut herself." Jacques nodded and got up to search for it.

"It's okay, Abel. It's nothing really." Esther said in her defense.

"Nonsense, you can't leave it to get infected, now can you?" He told her with his kind, childish smile. Ion got up and finished cleaning up the mess for them.

Esther blushed as he held her wrist. Blood began to drip down her finger. He lifted it up and stuck in to his mouth to clean up the blood. She blushed even redder as he sucked on it.

Soon Jacques came back with a white bandage, and handed it to Abel. Abel re took Esther's finger out of his mouth and rapped the bandage around her cut finger. When it was all done, he let her hand drop, and he smiled back down at her with his childish smile of his.

Esther pulled her hand back, and Pierre came back into the room with two mugs, one filled up to the brim with sugar and tea and the other was just a normal tea.

†

_Next, Scene Seven: Romeo & Juliet_

_Avert Not Thine Eyes _


	7. Scene 7 Romeo and Juliet

Chapter 7 _Romeo & Juliet_

Ion and Esther offered to help Pierre with the inn/café. They busted tables and served drinks and plates of French cuisine or pastries made by Pierre. Outside, Abel and Tres helped Jacques chop wood for the fire. While they were chopping, Pierre came out and asked Jacques to get some food from the market. Jacques agreed and took the list from him. After he took it, he quickly left the yard to go to the market, leaving Abel and Tres to finish chopping the wood.

Abel wiped the sweat from his bow and sighed; he was exhausted. "Tres, why don't you finish this up?" He said and dropped his ax.

"Negative, Father Nightroad. It would take us quicker to it together." Tres replied and blankly stared at him.

"Awe, come on Tresie! I'm not an android like you! I've got to take breaks once in a while!" He whined and pinked up his ax again. "Besides it's cold." He added with a shiver.

Just then Esther came out with a tray of hot drinks. "Abel. Tres." She called as she walked toward them. Abel wildly shook his head as he said, "Esther! You've made it just in time! I wanted to take a break and have a hot drink!" He took a brown handle less mug and lifted it up to his mouth. He took a deep breath through his nose and smelled the spicy aroma. "I take it that this is hot cinder." He said and took a sip.

After Esther handed Tres his mug, she replied, "Yes, Abel. It is." She smiled at him when he had taken his sip. "My, this is good!" He exclaimed. She nodded and then went back inside the inn/café.

Soon the café was closed and it was time for dinner. The six of them sat at the bar-like area and eat their meal. After they finished, Jacques stood up and said, "Tonight, we are going to the theater!"

"The theater? Jacques, you kid." Pierre scoffed.

"No, Pierre. The grocer gave me sic tickets to see a play at the theater." He pressed back.

"A theater seems nice to go to." Esther said. "I haven't been to a play in ages!"

"A theater it is then!' Abel exclaimed and stood up from his seat.

"Jacques, what is playing tonight?" Ion asked.

"No clue. The grocer just gave me them and told me to bring my friends." Jacques said with a shrug.

"Jacques. Pierre. I request to stay here." Tres said.

"Tres!" Abel cried. "You have to go. It won't be the same without you!"

"Abel, I disincline to go. I have to need to accompany you." He replied.

"Nonsense Tres!" Pierre exclaimed joining in. "You are going to go and have fun!"

"I have no knowledge of this word 'fun' that you speak of." Tres spoke once again.

"Hey, Abel? Is this guy all right?" Jacques whispered to him.

"Ah, well, Tres is just fine. I guess he just hates plays…" Abel replied, "…or something." He added.

"Well, lets go!" Pierre said and marched impractically toward the door. Everyone else grabbed their coats and headed out to the theater. (A/N: By then, Esther's clothes where dried and now she has them on.)

They arrived at the theater safely and took their seats in the audience. The room darkened and the giant, red curtain began to rise. "So Abel, what is this play again?" Esther whispered into Abel's ear. "I'm not sure. _Romeo and Juliet_ I believe." He answered quietly.

"_Romeo and Juliet_?" She repeated and then looked back at the curtain that was now raised.

A group of actors and actress came out and spoke their lines, Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene, from ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes. A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life; whose misadventured piteous overthrows doeth with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-marked love, and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, but their children's end, nought could removed, is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; the which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend." After their lines they exited the stage and the play began.

Soon it was the most famous part of the play, where Juliet appeared in the aloft by the window when Romeo was speaking, "He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, who is already sick and pale with grief that thou, her maid, art far more fair than she. Be not her maid, since she is envious. Her vestal livery is but sick and green, and none but fools do wear it: cast it off. It is my lady, O it is my love; O that she knew she were. She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that? Her eye discourses: I will answer it. I am too bold: 'tis not to me she speaks. Two of the fairest stars in all heaven, having some business, do entreat her eyes to twinkle in their spheres till they return. What if her eyes were there, they in her head? The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars as daylight doth a lamp; her eyes in heaven would though the airy region stream so bright that the birds would sing and think it were not night. See how she leans her cheek upon her hand! O that I were a glove upon that hand, that I might touch that cheek."

"Ay me!" Juliet gasped.

"She speaks." Romeo continued, "O speak again, bright angel, for thou art as glorious to this night, being o'er my head, as a winged messenger of heaven unto the white-upturned wondering eyes of mortals that fall back to gaze on him when he bestrides the lazy-passing clouds and sails upon the bosom of the air."

"O Romeo, Romeo!" She cried, "Wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny the father and refuse thy name: or, of thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, and I shall no longer be Capulet."

Abel flexed his hand, which rested on the armrest, and looked around him. _"Something is wrong. I sense danger in the air." _He looked at the lofts where the wealthy sat. Wealthy Methuselah sat there. _"Methuselah? They came to see a Terran play? That's odd."_ He thought and continued to watch the play after he saw how moved Esther's face was. She had tears on her cheeks and a smile across her lips.

However, up in the lofts a big-boned, plump Methuselah sat with his elbow propped on the armrest and his cheek in his hand. He yawned as he watched the play. A shorter Methuselah, who had silver hair, came up to him and said quietly, "My lord, everything is in order. We've found the Queen of Albion and she sitting over there." He pointed over to where Esther sat across the room.

The plump Methuselah picked up his gold binoculars and peered through them. He spotted Esther clearly and easily. He chuckled, "Excellent. I want you to kill her after Juliet acts out her death." He chuckled again. "Make sure it's quick and bloodless. I don't want anyone to suspect us. And if anybody catches you, there was never we, it's just you."

"I got it, my lord." The little Methuselah whispered and left the loft to put their evil plan into action.

The plump Methuselah grinned evilly, _"Lord Cain will be mighty proud of me when he gets word that I killed the Queen of Albion."_

Soon it was the second to last scene when Romeo found Juliet 'dead'.

"How oft when men are at the point of death have they been merry, which their keepers call a light'ning before death! O how may I call his light'ning? O my love, my wife! Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath had no power yet upon thy beauty. Thou art not conquered; beauty's ensign yetis crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks and death's pale flag is not advance there. Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet? O, what more favour can I do to thee than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain to sunder his that was thine enemy? Forgive me, cousin! Ah, dear Juliet why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe that unsubstantial Death is amorous, and that the lean abhorred monster keeps thee here in dark to be his paramour? For fear of that I still will stay with thee, and never from this palace of dim night depart again. Here, here I will remain with worms that are thy chambermaids. O, here will I set up on my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh. Eyes, look your last! Arms, take your last embrace! And lips, O you, the doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss a dateless bargain to engrossing Death! Come, bitter conduct; come, unsavoury guide! Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on the dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark! Here's to my love!" Romeo called out as he raised the vial of poison as a toast and brought it back to his lips. He drank it all. "O true apothecary! Thy drugs are quick. Thus I die with a kiss." He dies by her side.

Then she awakes from her slumber. "Romeo?" She called out and looked at the dead Romeo. "What's here? A cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end, O churl! drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips. Haply some poison yet doth hang on them to make me die with restorative." She kissed him. "Thy lips are warm!"

A watchman called out from the distance, "Lead boy! Which way?"

"Yea noise?" Juliet gasped. "Then I'll be brief. O happy dagger." She grabbed Romeo's dagger. "This is thy sheath," she stabbed herself and whispered, "there rest, and let me die." She falls on top of his body and died.

Esther covered her mouth with her hand as she cried at the sad scene. Tear just kept on flowing down her cheeks like a never-ending waterfall. Abel looked at the sobbing Esther. He didn't know what to do._ "It was just a play."_ He said to himself. Suddenly his eyes caught a simmering object as it flew towards Esther. He jumped up and stood in front of her.

"Abel, what are you doing I can't see." She whispered. He flinched as the flying object hit his back. "Esther, come with me." He whispered with the sound on pain in his voice and he took her by the wrist and led her out of the audience and into the lobby.

"Abel, what are you doing? Where are we going?" She asked as he dragged her along. She noticed the long, but short, metal needle-like object stick out of his back. She reached to touch it as she asked, "Abel what is this in your back?" She tapped it and he flew around as he yelled, "Don't touch it!" Anger was his expression now. As well as fear and pain.

She moved her hand away from it as tears of fright flowed down her cheeks. She jerked her hand away from his; she ran out of the lobby and out the door into the night. "Esther! Wait don't leave me! It's dangerous to go out alone!" He yelled as he chased after her. He opened the door to hear her scream. "Esther!" He yelled and turned to the direction of her screaming.

Two muscular Methuselah were holding her. A short older one stood next to them and said, "Sorry but we will be taking the Queen of Albion now. Good day!" They turned to leave and Abel spoke with a serious tone, "Unhand her now1" The short Methuselah looked over his shoulder. "What if I don't want to?"

"Nanomachine Crusnik 02 power input 40 percent acknowledged." He said and transformed into his crusnik form. He charged at the short Methuselah swiftly and punched him in the stomach, sending him flying. He then punched the other two. They swore and dropped Esther and began to fight with Abel.

After she was dropped, Esther got up and ran behind a carriage of some wealthy man. Tears still poured down her cheeks, but this time they were tears of concern for Abel's safety. She looked at the clouded night sky and saw a bit of light from the moon behind one of the clouds. She prayed a pray for Abel's safety as she listened to the battle.

One of the tougher Methuselahs leaped toward him with a dagger and went to cut him with it, but Abel released his scythe and they clashed together. He grabbed Abel's hands restricting his movements. The guy dug his long stone-like finger nails into his wrist forcing him to drop is scythe with a yelp of pain. Then the other one came up behind him and put him into a full nelson.

Abel dropped into his kneels and pulled the Methuselah that he held him over his head, hitting the other guy and causing them to fall over. He grabbed his scythe and sliced the two Methuselah in haft. They died right there and then.

Abel turned to the short Methuselah, who had started to run away frantically, and appeared in front of him. He ran straight into his legs because he had his head over his shoulders as he looked back. He looked into Abel's burnt red eyes and stood onto his knees. "Please don't kill me! I was only ordered by my master to do so!" He begged.

"Who is your master?" He asked in his metallic, throaty voice.

He nodded and answered, "My lord's name is Count Ivar Carlson!" Suddenly a knife flew out of nowhere and struck the small Methuselah's heart through the back. He coughed out blood and then fell over dead. Abel looked at him astonish and then looked up at the direction of where the knife came from. He saw a plump, richly dressed Methuselah.

The Methuselah swore and then said, "Carl, I told you if someone caught you, there wasn't ever a 'we'." He snarled and then looked at Abel. "And who might you be and what business do you have with that damn woman?"

Abel knitted his eyebrows together. "That's none of your business. Why do you wish you kill the Queen of Albion?" Abel asked.

He began to explain, "I plan on taking her to Lord Cain and have him deal with her-" but Abel, who jabbed his scythe into his heart, cut him off. His eyes grew wide with the pain and then he fell at Abel's feet. "I will say a pray on your behalf." Abel whispered as he looked down at the now dead Methuselah.

Esther peered out from behind the carriage. She looked to see Abel but didn't see him anywhere. She heard the screams of the men that were slaughtered, but she didn't see a trace of them. She wandered around the courtyard of the theater. Thunder cracked over her head and lightning lit the night sky.

"Abel! Abel!" She called out and wandered around the corner of the building. There she found him as he tiredly walked toward her with his head down.

"Abel!" She called out to him and ran to him with her arms spread out and tears flowing again from his eyes. "Esther…" He murmured as she wrapped her arms around his.

"Hey you two!" A Methuselah yelled from the top of the building as he shown a spotlight on them. "Hey guys! That's the man who slain our master! Get him!" More Methuselah came and surrounded them.

Abel wrapped his arms around Esther and whispered in her ear, "Hold on." She nodded and clung to him even more.

"Hey you!" A Methuselah yelled as he and another Methuselah from the opposite side of him charged at them.

"Nanomachine Crusnik 02 power input at 80 percent acknowledged." Abel said in his scratchy voice and his old, black wings unraveled out from his back. Then they both took off into the night sky as rain began to pour down.

**DISCLAIMER: I don't own Trinity Blood or Romeo and Juliet. All lines from the play in this story are the lines from the play by William Shakespeare.  
**


	8. Scene 8 Fever

**Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood! This is just MY version of a movie that I would LOVE to see!**

**_Written by: Lexie Reilly_**

Chapter 8 Fever

Abel, who held Esther in his arms, flew across the stormy night sky as rain poured down on them. Thunder and lightning repeatedly struck around them. Esther looked up at him. His face was a bit pale and his whole body was soaked and cold from the rain. "Abel," she managed to say, "Where are we going?"

"I don't know." He replied in a hoarse tone.

"What about Father Tres and Ion?" She asked and looked into his burnt red eyes. He just kept looking straight and answered, "I'll contact them once we've arrived where we are going."

She sighed lightly and looked down at the ground below them. She noticed that they were in the countryside of Nordrvegr. Fields quickly moved underneath them and then she spotted an old, tattered barn. "Abel? Why don't we stay there tonight?" She asked as she pointed down at the barn. He nodded and took her down there. They landed about five feet away from it.

Esther let go of him and walked up the barn door and found it ajar. She opened it more and it was very cozy looking, even though some of the roof had holes in it and the rain leaked in a bit. She smiled and then heard a splash behind her. She turned to see Abel with his face flat in the muddy ground as he lay there.

"Abel!" She cried and rushed to his side. She plopped down beside him and shook him. "Abel! Abel, please wake up!" She cried as thunder sounded and lightning struck again. She noticed is pale face was paler then before. She placed her hand on his wet forehead. "You're burning up!" She exclaimed as she quickly pulled her hand back. "I have to get you inside." She whispered and picked up his right arm. She draped it over her shoulder and pulled him to lean on her back. The she dragged him inside with all her strength.

Once inside, she looked around to find some place to lay him down. She spotted a pile of hay and dragged him over to it. As she did the wind blew harshly against the old barn and thunder and lightning struck. She placed him into it and looked around for some blankets.

She only managed to find an old brown one that was probably a horse's blanket. She brought it over to him along with an old bucket that was haft filled with rainwater. She placed the blanket over his legs and set the bucket by his feet.

She reached over and unbuttoned his brown jacket and white shirt. She removed them and tossed away from his body. She untied the black ribbon holding his silver hair together and let it fall down into the hay and around his neck. She removed his glasses as well and placed them next to her. Then she pulled the blanket up and wrapped it around him.

"_I need a rag…"_ She thought as she glanced around the old barn again. She looked down at her sleeve. "This will do." She muttered and lifted her sleeve up to her mouth, bit it, and pulled it apart with her teeth. She ripped it off and dipped it into the bucket of rainwater, ringed it out, and placed it on his forehead.

"_Lord, please let Abel be all right." _She prayed silently.

The wind howled as it whipped against the barn again, making it creak. Thunder and lightning stuck again and the rain continued to pour on he rooftop.

Esther almost fell asleep when a big crack of thunder sounded and she gasped. Abel snapped awake with a gasp, but continued to lie there. He looked at her with eyes of fear, sadness, and tenderness.

"Esther?" He whispered. She looked down at him with sympathy and said, "Abel, go back to sleep." He nodded and closed his eyes again. She got up and wandered around the barn. She saw an old, black trunk leaded against the one of the walls. She cautiously strolled up to it. She unlatched the two aged gold latches and slowly opened the top. She peered inside nervously. She pulled out the trunk's treasure. It was a navy-blue dress, similar to hers. She draped it over her arm and took out another white shirt like hers. "The Lord provides, doesn't He?" She whispered and began to change into the new shirt.

Meanwhile after Esther left his side, Abel had opened an eye and watched Esther wander about the barn, open the trunk, and pulled out the new outfit. When he saw that she was changing, he shut his eyes close. After a minute or two, he opened them again. Esther finished changing and was pulling her hair out from under the dress. He quietly got up and dizzily walked over to her and leaned his arm, shoulder, and head against a beam of the barn.

Esther had just pulled her hair out from her dress went she heard a shaky male voice behind her. "Esther…" It called. She turned around and saw Abel leaning against a beam. "Abel!" She gasped and walked over to him. "What are you doing up? I thought I told you to go to sleep." She scolded and would have continued but he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and buried his head into the crook of her neck. "Abel…" She gasped.

Suddenly she felt something wet and hot drop on her shoulders as Abel breathed in deeply and quickly. "Abel, are you crying?" She whispered. After a long pause of silence and Abel's sobbing, he finally spoke quickly. "I'm sorry." He whispered into her ear.

"Sorry?" She repeated. "For what?"

"I yelled at you and almost ended up in losing you. You were just trying to help, when you tried to touch that needle in my back. But I didn't want you to touch it. If you touched it, you could have been poisoned." He explained.

"Poisoned? Abel then-" She exclaimed but he cut her off, "No. I'm not poisoned. The poison was made for humans to kill them. All it did to me was give me a fever." He inhaled deeply through his nose, taking in her scent as he thought, _"She smells like fresh roses," _and then exhaled on her neck.

His breath sent chills down her spine. Slowly she wrapped her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I let you worry about me for so long and almost lost you when I was finally able to return to you. I'm so sorry." He cried.

"All is forgiven." She whispered. "My love." She added, softer than her whisper hoping that he wouldn't hear it. However, he did and held her even tighter.

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed again and Abel suddenly looked up. His crusnik senses told him danger lurked about the shadows. He pulled away from Esther and walked over to the trunk where she was earlier.

"Abel, what is it?" She asked as she watched him wander over to the trunk.

He ignored her and looked straight into a long body mirror that had a fancy, aged gold trim. He looked at his reflection, but what he saw wasn't his reflection. It was Cain's.

Furious and astonish at the image, he gathered up a fist, ran up to it, and punched it. Causing it to crack and shatter behind his fist. Realizing that Cain's image was forged by his mind, he dropped his hand down by his side. Blood dripped from his right hand and onto the ground. He turned and wearily staggered back to his bed of hay.

Esther, astonished by his behavior, followed him. After he threw himself into the bed with a deep breath, she plopped next to him and put her hand on his forehead. _"He's hotter than before!"_ She told herself silently. Then she grabbed the rag that she made with her sleeve and dripped it into the bucket of rainwater. She pulled it out, wringed it out, and placed it on his forehead.

"Abel, are you okay?" She asked and he looked up at her with his compassionate, blue eyes. "Esther, I'm fine. I just need to rest." He told her and she nodded.

Suddenly she was pulled down and lying next to him. "Abel!" She gasped when she realized that he was the one who pulled her. He smiled and said, "Please, don't leave me. You are the only person who can make me feel better."

She blushed deeply at his comment. "Oh, all right." She sighed and closed her eyes. "Good night."

"Good night." He whispered and cuddled up next to her, almost like at cat or a dog against his owner. "My love." He added silently.

**_© copyright this story is owned by Lexie Reilly_**


	9. Scene 9 Glorious Morning

**Disclaimer: I don't own Trinity Blood but this is MY OWN continuation from the end of the Anime series**

**_written by, me: Lexie Reilly_**

Chapter 9 Glorious Morning

Sun light shown brightly in his eyes through a crack in the roof as Abel sat up. He woke up because his arm that was wrapped around Esther had grown cold. He rubbed the sleep away from his eyes and looked over to the spot were Esther had slept. To his surprise, she wasn't there.

His normal smile was replaced with a frown. But that was shortly restored to a delightful smile when he smiled the scent of delicious food. He wearily got up onto his feet, slipped his shirt on, and followed the scent outside.

He opened the barn's door and peeked out. The rain clouds had disappeared and had been replaced with big, white, fluffy ones. Drops of rainwater dripped off of the plants and onto the slightly muddy ground. Birds chirped and flew around the landscape. Abel slide out the door as a gust of wind blew and rusted his locks of silver hair.

He continued to follow the scent to the side of the barn. There he saw Esther busily stirring a spoon in a pot-like object that was over a small campfire. He quietly walked over to her. He took only five steps when he tripped over a rock and fell into a tall, old rose brush with a crash. "Yow!" He yelped and Esther turned to see what was the noise.

"Abel!" She gasped and hushed over to him and helped him up. "Are your okay?"

"Yea, I'm fine." He said with a slightly nod.

"Honestly," she sighed, "look at you. You're a mess! You've got cuts and thorns all over you!" She pulled out a one-inch thorn out from his arm.

"Ow!" He yelped again. "Hey, be more careful. Please."

"Maybe you should be more careful were you're walking." She teased.

He pouted a bit and she pulled another one out. "Ow!" He cried as he flinched.

After she removed all the thorns, she got up and walked over to the pot-like object. She took the spoon in her hand and stirred the liquid inside it.

He curiously watched her as he sat there. Finally he got up and walked over to her and peered over her shoulder like a child. He inhaled its aroma greatly and asked, "What are you making?"

"Carrot soup." She replied and added, "No, it's not ready yet."

"Oh, all right." He sighed and backed off her.

She sighed. "Abel, if you are feeling up to it, could you go and find us something to use as a bowl?"

He smiled greatly and said, "Sure! I'll be back in no time!" Then he took off back into the barn.

Esther watched him with a sigh. She continued to stir the soup as a smile crept across her lips.

Soon the soup was ready and by then Abel had come back with two old saucers that he found in the trunk. Abel pour both of them some into it and blessed the food. He quickly drank the broth and ate the carrots, cabbage, and onions inside it. "My, Esther! This is delicious! Best meal I've ever had in a long time!" He praised.

She blushed and said, "Thank you." She smiled and continued her meal.

Soon they were done with their breakfast. Abel let out a big sigh and, with his hands on his stomach, fell backwards and lied in the grass. "I'm full." He proclaimed.

Esther smiled and giggled a little as she watched the goofy priest lie in the grass. She found herself getting up and lie down next to him.

Together they watched the big, white clouds as they slowly moved across the sky. Esther pointed to one in the sky and said, "Abel, look. That one looks like a dove."

He nodded, "Yeah, it does." Then he pointed to the one next to it and said, "That one looks like a puppy."

"Oh! You're right!" She said and the point south at another one. "That one looks like a heart."

"So it does." He agreed. He turned his body on his left side toward her and leaned against his left elbow that was propped on the ground. He stared at her face as the cold, gentle wind blew rustled her scarlet hair. Her sapphire-blue eyes were glued to the sky and his were glued on her face.

Suddenly, she closed her heavy, sleepy eyelids and fell asleep. Abel noticed that she was asleep as he stared at her. Her chest calmly moved up and down with the inhale and exhale of her breathe. _"She's like a peaceful angel."_ He thought. Immediately, he found his lips drawing themselves closer and closer toward hers. They where only a few inches apart went he stopped; frozen. He stared at her tranquil face as the wind blew again, blowing his locks of silver hair and her locks of scarlet hair against their faces. Slowly he backed away from her face and lay back in the grass.

He looked back up into the blue, blue sky. Abruptly, he sat up as he heard the sound of airplanes above them. He looked southwest in the sky and saw an airplane plunging toward the ground as fire surrounded it and other planes fired at it.

He quickly grabbed Esther by the arm and said, "Esther, wake up."

She opened her eyes with a yawn and asked, "What's wrong Abel?" Quickly, she was dragged up onto her feet and instead the barn. "There's an dogfight in the sky and we don't need to get involved in that." He answered once they were safe inside the barn.

"A 'dogfight'? What are we going to do? We can't possibly leave now!" She panicked then gasped, "What if Methuselah are shooting that Terran plane down? Abel, what going to happen to us?"

Abel calmly placed his hands on her shoulders and said, "Esther, calm down. As long as we stay in here, we should be fine."

"Should?" She squeaked. "What do you mean 'should'?"

"Esther, please. We'll be here until the coast is clear, all right?" He sympathized.

"But that could take forever, Abel, and we can't possibly stay here forever! We need to get back to Father Tres, Ion, Pierre, and Jacques! Abel!!"

"Esther! Calm down!" He yelled with a voice filled with anger yet concern. Right after he yelled, they both heard a thunderous boom. Abel placed a hand on her shoulder signifying to stay there. She nodded and he fled outside.

Outside Abel looked out over the landscape. He saw a massive tower of smoke in the north and heard the screeching of what sounded like a bird and then another thunderous boom. _"Bombs."_ He told himself. _"These bombs are defiantly not human's bombs. They must be Methuselah's." _He concluded.

Suddenly he heard screeching right behind him. He rapidly spun around and looked above the barn and stare wide-eyed at it. A bomb was headed straight toward the barn and Esther inside.

"Nano-machine Crusnik 02, power input at 80 percent acknowledged." He muttered and transformed. With his black wings, he leaped and flew toward the bomb. He grasped it and hurled it away from the barn.

Inside, Esther heard the bombs along with the massive shaking from them. She had fallen on the ground and laid there afraid over what was happening. _"Abel, what is going on?"_ She wondered to herself.

Bomb after bomb flew toward the barn and time after time he threw them away from it. _"They're aiming at the barn!"_ He concluded and remembered Esther's cries of "_What if Methuselah are shooting that Terran plane down? Abel, what's going to happen to us?"_ He grasped another flying bomb and hurled it away with a grunt. He watched it as is blew up away from them. "She was right after all." He said and paused for a moment. "**We** are the ones that they are attacking." Another bomb fell toward him, he grabbed it as well and chucked it too.

Esther heard the thunderous boom from the boom from the bomb that Abel had just chucked. She held her arms over her head as she lay there. She tightly held her eyes shut and prayed, _"Dear Lord, please keep us safe. Amen."_

Abel looked up into the sky and saw a plane as it moved into a cloud. He leaped and with his black wings flew towards it. Once he reached it, he latched himself onto it. _"This is a Methuselah plane. Now why are they bombing innocent Terran lands?"_ He wondered and opened the side door. He slipped inside and made his way to the cockpit.

A Methuselah with long black hair that stopped at the middle of his back sat in the pilot seat in the cockpit. He snickered and showed off his sharp fangs. "Foolish Terrans." He said and flipped a switch to fly the plane in autopilot.

"Why are they so foolish?" Abel's raspy voice asked behind him.

The Methuselah turned around horrified to see him. "Who? Who are you?"

He ignored the question and asked instead, "Tell me, who sent you here?" He then made his blood-red scythe appear.

He stared at the scythe and then at Abel's burnt red eyes and fangs. "It- it was the Order of Rosenkreuz! And our Master Cain!"

"_I should have known!"_ He thought with a slight gasp. "Where is your 'master' now?"

"In Castile!!" The Methuselah shouted back in fear as sweat dripped from his brow.

"Castile? I thought he was in Vanha Suomi?" Abel asked appalled.

The Methuselah gulped and said, "That was a trap for the Vatican."

Abel knitted his eyebrows together and said, "Tell your companions to cease fire right now and I'll spare your life!" He tightened his grip on his scythe with pure anger.

He nodded and picked up the radio communicator. "Come in. This is fighter-jet 03. Come in. Over"

A fuzzy reply came in soon after, "Roger. This is fighter-jet 01. Over."

Abel glared at the pilot and the pilot continued, "I've got news from lord Cain. He said to cease-fire. Over."

"Cease fire? Are you sure? Over." The respond came.

"Yes. Over." The Methuselah replied.

"All right. If the lord wants it, so be it. Over and out." He ended.

"Over and out." He said and turned off the radio.

Abel nodded and left the plane. The Methuselah relaxed a little and said, "Who, or rather, what was that?"

Cain sat on a throne in a room in Castile and watched the pilot of fighter-jet 03 through a screen. He sipped his glass of wine and said, "That, my friend, was a Crusnik. My dear brother Abel, it seems you will be joining me very soon." He grinned evilly.

Abel opened the door to the barn. His halo of silver hair had fallen back to its original position and his once burnt red eyes had returned to their natural peaceful blue color. He staggered inside and closed the door with a quiet bang.

Esther looked up at him as he stood next to the door. She stumbled to her feet as she ran over to him. "Abel!" She cried as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Abel, who wasn't ready for her to throw herself on him, lost his balance and fell to the ground.

"Oh thank goodness! I was so scared, Abel!" She said as she buried her head into his torso.

He rubbed the top of her head with his left hand and said, "Silly girl. You know that I will always protect you."

"I wasn't scared because of the bombs." She explained and looked into his eyes. "I was afraid for your safety!"

He laughed softly and said, "No need to worry about me. I'm all right." He stood up, "Now we should go find Tres and Ion. Right?" He began to walk over to their bed of hay as she nodded. Suddenly, he tripped over a pitchfork and landed face-first.

"Oh! Abel! Are you all right?" She asked as she rushed over to his side and helped him up.

"Yes. Just fine." He replied dizzily.

**© copyright 2007 THIS IS MY STORY!! Another disclaimer: I don't own the characters, Abel, Esther, Ion, Tres, & Catherine (Catrina)! just this story **

**…¬˚∆˙©ƒ∂ß**


	10. Scene 10 Message from the Vatican City

Chapter 10 Message from the Vatican City

A train pulled in at a station as its whistle blew and it stopped. One of the doors of the cars opened up and a lady dressed in a navy-blue dress and black, flat, rubber bottom shoes stepped out of it. She turned back toward the car, making her scarlet hair swish against her cheeks.

A silver haired, tall man with glasses stood in the doorway. He smiled an immature smile and took a step out of the car, however, his other foot tripped over the threshold and he landed flat on his face.

"Oh, Abel!" She gasped as she rushed over to him and helped him up. "Are you all right?" With her help he stood up and said, "Yes, Esther. I'm fine."

She sighed and smiled a bit at the goofy priest. "Come on Abel, Tres and Ion are waiting for us back at the inn with Jacques and Pierre."

"Oh yes, shall we go?" He said and offered his hand to her. She gladly took it and they walked out of the station's lobby and outside.

Once they reached outside, Esther heard a loud grumbling from her right as Abel sheepishly looked down at his stomach with a slight blush. "It seems this beast I call a stomach is hungry again." He chuckled faintly as he rubbed the back of his head with his free hand.

"Abel, what am I going to do with you? Didn't you just eat on the train?" She sighed and shook her head a bit.

"Esther, a raspberry muffin and a bagel are not really what you call a meal." He assured her. "Do you think we could stop somewhere to eat along the way?"

"Oh, Abel. I would if we had the money too! We've just spent every kroner (Norwegian money) that we've own!" She reminded him.

"What?! Really?!" He gasped. "Why God, why does this always happen to me?" He complained.

"You know this wouldn't have happened if you didn't have such a big appetite." She sighed and looked at him depressingly.

"Ha. Ha. Well you wouldn't want me dying of starvation, now, would you?" He said and rubbed the back of his head as he smiled childishly.

Ion furiously paced the floor of Pierre and Jacques' inn/café as he leans his lips on his index finger and holds his elbow in his free hand.

"Calm down, my boy," Jacques started, "You're going to burn a path in the floor."

"I can't calm down!" He yelled and threw is hands in the air. "Esther is out there somewhere and all we can do is wait till Abel brings her back! It's been two whole days and they haven't come back yet!"

"You know." Pierre spoke up. "They could have run off together and eloped."

Ion blushed and Father Tres spoke, "Negative. Father Nightroad wouldn't do such a thing to Esther."

"Pierre, you blabbing idiot! Do you really think Abel would do such a dirty thing?" Jacques yelled at him.

"Hey! They are married! Maybe they wanted to do it in private instead of this place where tons of people are!" He yelled back.

Ion's jealousy and temper both snapped. "Pierre! You idiot! How can you think of that when they are not **really** married! Besides I know that Esther would never agree to that and Father Abel is way to remote to even thing of that!"

"Not married?" Pierre repeated and Jacques questioned soon after, "_Father_ Abel?"

Ion flinched as his face went pale, _"Opps. I let the cat out of the bag."_

Esther still had her arm entangled around Abel's as they both round a corner of a range of house that leaded to another small stone-paved street. However, the houses on the street had roses growing on the vines on them and as soon as Esther saw them, she froze and tightened her grip on Abel's arm.

"Esther, what's wrong?" He asked as he looked down at her frighten face then back up at the roses. _"Oh, roses. How ironic that she smells like them but hates the sight of them."_ He bent his head down to her ear and whispered, "Esther, everything is fine. I'm right here. Your black winged angel is right here and he's not going to leave you._ I_ won't leave you."

She blinked and looked into his eyes. Slowly she lifted her right hand and placed it on his cheek. _"It's true he's right here."_ She thought and cocked her head a little. "Abel?" She questioned.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Ion and Father Tres must be worried about us." She said and looked down the street toward the inn.

"Yes, you're right. However, Esther, I really can't see Tres worrying about us." He joked.

"I suppose your right." She sighed and began to drag him a bit down the street as he followed her.

"_It's true that he's right beside me, but…" _She thought and looked at his smiling content face. _"I feel that this moment of him always by my side will fade away."_

Ion looked at the door from his seat in the couch with a mad expression on his face as he patiently waited for Esther and Abel to come home. Suddenly he stood up and stomped toward the door.

"Where are you going, Ion?" Tres said monotonically.

"I'm going to find them they are taking to long!" He said and grasped the door handle. He turned it and flung it open. Abruptly, he heard a bang and a yelp of pain. He peeked out the door and saw Abel on the ground and Esther bending over his shoulder asking him if he was all right.

"Abel! Esther! You're back!" Ion exclaimed and smiled. "Where did you guys go?"

Abel, who was now standing properly, answered as they walked into the inn, "We were sort of chased by Methuselah."

"Chased by Methuselah!" He gasped as he closed the door. "Esther, are you all right?"

"Yes, I'm fine. Abel kept me safe." She smiled.

"Father Nightroad, Lady Catherine contacted us and said that she wants us back in Rome in 3 days." Tres reported.

"What? But we just got here!" Esther gasped (she still had no clue that Cain was in Castile).

"I see, so she got my message." Abel said seriously.

"Positive. I have giving her the information that the White Demon is in Castile." He told him. "We are to leave in the morning."

**Sorry for the short chapter! . ** **i'll update a.s.a.p.!! i also had writers block for the past couple of weeks...but now i have a really grool (great + cool) idea! so the next chapter should be up by next weekend! okay, ja-ne!**


	11. Scene 11 Returning to the Vatican City

Chapter 11 Returning to the Vatican City

Abel, Esther, Ion, and Tres stood in the lobby of the inn as they bid their farewells to Jacques and Pierre. "Thank you for everything. We hope to see you again." Esther said with a smile.

"Oh, my fair queen, you shall see us again! For we are the type of men who can't stay in one place for too long! Come by November, you shall see us back in Francia or even Castile." Pierre said. He grabbed Esther's right hand and placed a kiss on it. "Your Majesty, you will always be in my thoughts as well as my heart."

She slowly pulled her hand away from his. "Th-thank you, Pierre." She said nervously. Both Abel and Ion looked at him with eyes full of envy, rage, and death. Pierre smiled and said, "Goodbye Father Abel and Ion. I hope you protect Her Majesty."

"Oh, I will!" Ion said with a fake smile.

"Well, Pierre, Jacques, I think we must be going now. Thank you very much for everything. May the Lord return your kindness with blessings." Abel said with his silly, old smile.

"Thank you, Father Nightroad. Until next time." Jacques said.

Soon all four of them left the inn and bored an airship headed toward Rome.

Abel plopped down in a seat on the airship. "Phew! I'm so tired and hungry. Esther, would you ever be so kind as to get me a sandwich. I'm famished!"

"Oh all right." She sighed and left toward the café area of the airship. She reached it and ordered a tuna sandwich for him and a ham and cheese one for herself. After she received them, she headed back to their room, but when she walked down the hallway she stopped and saw a little girl crying. She walked up to her and bent down her level of height. "Hey, little girl, are you okay? Are you lost? Or did you loose something important?" She asked.

The little girl looked up and backed up a bit startled. She sniffed and nodded slowly with her bottom lip sticking out. "I can't find my mama. She was here a minute ago," she said and more tears flowed down her cheeks, "but now she's gone! Miss, please help me."

"Of coarse, I'll help you. But first could you tell me your name? Mine is Esther." She said as she smiled at the girl.

The girl nodded and sniffed as she said, "My name is Tabitha."

"All right Tabitha. I'll help you find your mama, but first," Esther said and looked down at the plate of sandwiches, "I need to deliver these to my friends. Maybe they could help us as well." She held out her hand so that Tabitha could take it.

Tabitha smiled cheerfully and took it. The two of them walked down the hallway. They had passed eleven rooms when Esther stopped at the twelfth one and knocked on the door. The door opened up to a pale, grateful looking Abel. "Oh thank the heavens! Esther, you're finally here! Thank you! He said and took the plate of sandwiches as he smiled widely.

That's when he noticed Tabitha. He bent down to her level and said, "Well, who do we have hear, Esther? Hello, my name is Abel. Abel Nightroad. What's yours?"

Tabitha looked up at the goofy priest with fearful eyes. Her bottom lip quivered and she broke out into tears. Abel noticed that and fretfully waved his free hand in front of his face. "Oh no. Now, don't cry. It's okay!"

"Abel!" Esther yelled. "I can't believe you made her cry! She's lost!" She bent down to Tabitha's height and she, "Now, now, Tabitha, don't cry. He might look strange, but he's really a good guy."

He set the plate of sandwiches on a table next to the door and turned back toward them as he repeated, "'Strange'?" He clicked his tongue and said, "Esther, I'm not 'strange'. Am I?" He asked just to make sure.

"Oh, Abel." She sighed and looked up at him. "You are in deed strange; you and your milk tea with thirteen spoonfuls of sugar. Abel, just help me find her mother, okay?" She looked back down at Tabitha who was still sobbing.

He looked at the two with compassion on his face and in his eyes. "Sure, Esther. I will." He said and bent down next to Tabitha. "Don't worry. I'll help you find your mother. All right?"

Tabitha looked up at him. This time she didn't see his goofy, childish self, but his compassionate, considerate self. She nodded and sniffed.

Abel gently took her other hand and said, "Well, Esther, Tabitha, let's go." Esther smiled and Tabitha nodded. They all started to walk back down the hallway toward the café area of the airship.

Abel and Esther looked around in the café for Tabitha's mother or father, but no one had seen them. They decided to knock on everyone's doors to ask him or her, but they had no luck.

"Well, where should we look now?" Esther sighed as she held Tabitha in her arms. Tabitha yawned as she rested her head on Esther's shoulder.

"I don't know." He sighed. He stood beside her and said as he looked down at Tabitha, "But it looks like Miss Tabitha here is ready for a nap."

Tabitha yawned again. "I'm sorry Miss Esther and Mister Abel." She said tiredly and closed her eyes. "But I'm...not that tired…." She whispered but soon fell asleep.

He smiled at down at her. "I believe so." He muttered and the looked at Esther. "I think we should take her to our room. It's best if we let her sleep." He placed a hand on his stomach as it growled loudly. He blushed lightly and added as he laughed faintly, "Besides I really need to eat that sandwich."

"Oh, Abel. Yes, let's go." She said and walked down the hallway toward the door. They reached it and opened it with a key that Abel carried. They both walked inside and Esther made her way toward the couch. She set Tabitha down and left to fetch a blanket for her.

Meanwhile, Abel picked up the plate of wrapped sandwiches and brought them to the table where ther he opened them.

Esther came back into the room from the bedroom carrying a big, blue velvet blanket. She walked over to the couch and placed it over Tabitha.

"Emther, mome, amd meat mour manmich. (Esther, come and eat your sandwich)" His voice came from table.

She turned to see him with half of his sandwich in his hand and the other half in his mouth. She shook her head as she walked toward table and sat in a chair. She picked up her wrapped ham and cheese sandwich, unwrapped it, took a bite of it, and chewed it.

Abel was quickly done with his sandwich and got up to get a glass of water. He took a glass bottle out of a small, tin bucket of ice and asked, "Esther would you like some water?"

"Yes, please." She replied and took another bite of her sandwich.

He grabbed two glasses next to the bucket of ice and walked back over to the table. He set the glasses on the table, pulled the top off the bottle, and poured water into the two wine glasses. He picked up one and handed it to her. She took it with a smile. He took his and sat back down in his seat. He drank his water slowly and stared at her lovingly as she ate.

Soon she was done with her sandwich and sipped some of her water. She stared into her glass. "Hey Abel?" She spoke up after a long moment of silence.

"Yes?" He replied, curious to what she was going to ask.

"Abel…you're going to stay with me forever right?" She asked as she still looked down into her glass.

"Esther," he sighed jokingly, "it's impossible for one to live forever."

"She looked up aback at his words. "Abel, I mean as long we live! You'll be with me till then and you won't ever leave me again, right?" She looked her teary eyes into his compassionate ones.

"Esther, I'm sorry." He sighed, "I can't promise that."

A tear fell from her eye and flowed down her cheek where it fell onto her dress. "Why?" She yelled. She had lost her temper and emotions. "Why can't you just promise me that you will?! I don't mean that you will always be right at my side, but at Rome working with the Vatican! You don't have to run away from us anymore to keep us safe from Cain!"

He looked at her surprised at her words as she continued, "Because we will all fight together! You don't have to fight alone anymore!"

"Esther! That's enough!" He yelled back livid at her words. "Esther can't you see? Bringing you into this mess will just end up by your death! Cain is too powerful and he already tried to assonate you twice! Yes, I was there to protect you, but what if I'm not there the next time? I had heard that Cain wanted the Albian throne that is why I brought you along. But I now realize that my decision was wrong. I wish that we could stay together, but it's best if you return to Albion immediately, or at least stay in Rome."

"Abel! I cannot do that! My feelings and worry of your safety won't allow it! I finally was able to see you again after three years!" She yelled back as more tears fell from her eyes.

"Your feelings?" He questioned astonished. "What about mine? Do you know how **I** would feel if I saw you lying dead at my feet? The girl who I lov-" he stopped. _"No, I can't tell her."_ He thought._ "She doesn't deserve a guy like me."_

"What?" She asked and he stood his head, "Never mind."

Suddenly a soft, high voice came from behind them. "Miss Esther, Mister Abel; are you mad at each other?"

Esther whipped the tears away from her eyes as she turned around and saw Tabitha. She walked up to her and placed her hands on her shoulders. "Oh no, Tabitha. We're not 'mad' at each other. We just had a little disagreement. That's all."

"Yes, Tabitha. Everything is fine." He lied.

"Okay. Well that's good. I hate to see people yell and fight and hate each other." She proclaimed. Esther and Abel avoided eye contact from each other and Tabitha.

Abruptly, the door opened up and Father Tres and Ion walked in. "Esther! Abel! There you are!" Ion exclaimed. "We were looking for you everywhere!"

"Sorry, Ion. We were trying to help find this girl's mother." Esther explained as she picked up Tabitha.

"Oh! You must be that deceased lady's child!" He shouted.

"Deceased lady?" Abel and Esther repeated in unison. Tres answered, "Affirmative, Father Nightroad, Your Highness. A woman the age of 24 died from a heart attack three hours ago. Her name was Katherine Cromwell."

Tabitha looked at him wide-eyed. "My mommy…my mommy died!" She exclaimed disbelievingly as hot, fresh tears poured down her cheeks. She buried her head onto Esther's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Tabitha." Esther said as she hugged her tightly. "My mommy died!" She cried again as she sobbed and hugged Esther back.

The anger that was in Abel left him and now sorrow and grief for the child and her mother swept through him. He looked at both Esther and Tabitha sorrowfully.

The death of Katherine Cromwell was a natural one but one of grief from her late husband, Christian Cromwell who died three years ago in one of Cain's attacks. Abel and Esther stayed in their room with the sobbing Tabitha while Ion ran some errands for them and Tres contacted Lady Catherine.

Tabitha had calmed down a bit and stared to fall asleep on the couch while she laid her head on Esther's lap. Esther, who sat next to her, brushed her fingers though Tabitha's locks of short copper-colored hair.

Tabitha slowly closed her eyes as Esther hummed a lullaby. All of a sudden the airship jolted causing them both to fly toward the floor, but Abel, who kept his balance, caught them both.

Tabitha held on to Abel's waist tightly and cried again; her tears where that of fright as the airship jolted again from the turbulence.

Esther savored the moment and buried her head against his shirt and jacket. No matter how mad she was fright had always dominated it.

"Now, now it's okay, Tabitha. It's just a little turbulence. It will be over soon." Abel whispered. He felt her head move up and down against his torso and he sighed.

As Abel had prophesied, the turbulence ended after a few minuets and everything was smooth again.

Esther backed away from Abel and sat back on the couch. Tabitha went to follow her. Pain was on her face. Esther had noticed it and asked, "Tabitha is something wrong? Does something hurt?"

She nodded, "Yes, Miss Esther. My ear, it hurts really, really bad!" Tears started to flow from her eyes again as the pain grew worse. "Make it stop, Miss Esther! Please!" She cried as she ran toward Esther.

"Oh, dear! You must have an earache!" Esther realized and went over to her. She placed a hand on her forehead and found it a little warmer then normal. "Oh, dear. You have a fever too."

Abruptly the door open again and Ion came in. "Perfect! Ion, I need you to go and find me some aspirin." She instructed him. He nodded and left the room once again. She looked up at Abel and said, "Abel, would you go to the dinning room and get a glass of ice tea."

"Ice tea?" He questioned. "Esther, we have water here for her."

"Ice tea with aspirin is the best thing to get rid of a earache!" She snapped as she led Tabitha back over to the couch and made her lie down. (A/N It's true that ice tea with an aspirin clears up earaches. I had swimmers ear one time in the summer and nothing would help it until I took aspirin and ice tea together!)

Abel weakly nodded and left the room to get the ice tea. Esther fixed the blanket over Tabitha and the pillows under Tabitha's head. She sat back in a chair next to the couch and sighed. _"Abel, why won't you say that you love me? I love you so much, more than anyone in the whole world. I want to kiss you. I want to hug you and never let go. My black-winged angel."_

The door opened up again as both Ion and Abel came in. "Here Esther, I brought you the aspirin." Ion said kindly as he handed it to her. "Thank you, Ion." She said with a smile. She reached over and held Tabitha's head up as she said, "Tabitha, swallow this." She stuck it into Tabitha's open mouth and watched her swallow it.

Abel, who stood next to them, gave her the glass of ice tea. Tabitha took it and drank haft of it. She gave the cup to Esther and fell asleep. Ion watched all three of them and thought, _"This scene…I remember a scene like this before. It was when I was round the same age as Tabitha. I got a fever from play outside with Radu when it was pouring rain. Radu brought me the medicine and my parents gave me it. How ironic that right now I'm sort of like the old Radu, Esther is like my mother, Abel is like my father, and Tabitha is like me. Even though I love Esther so much. She's the prettiest and nicest girl in the world!"_

Ion's stomach growled quietly and he looked out the window. The sky was filled the colors of yellow-orange, pink, and purple filled the sky. _"I haven't eating a thing since this morning. I better go and eat some dinner."_ He thought to himself as he placed a hand on his stomach. "Esther, Father Abel, I'll be right back."

Esther turned her head and nodded. He opened the door and left. She looked back down at Tabitha, whose pain had left her face and replaced with calmness. Esther sighed and stood up. She walked away from Tabitha and Abel and went toward the bathroom, ignoring Abel's confused face.

After she reached the bathroom, she turned on the faucet in the sink and placed the drain stopper inside it. Soon the sink was haft filled with water. She took off her ring and sat it on the counter. She cupped her hands together, scoped up the water in the sink, bent over the sink, placed her hands on her face, and washed her face.

After she was done, she blindly reached for a hand towel on the counter. However, when she was looking for the towel she bumped her ring and it fell on the round and rolled away from her. She picked up the towel and whipped her face dry. She then turned the faucet off. She looked down and stretched a hand to grab her ring and put it back on. But it was not there. She looked into the water to see if she knocked it into it, but it was not there.

She got on her hands and knees and began searching the floor. She looked to and fro around the counter but did see it. She started to search the rest of the floor on her hands and knees when she banged her head into the towel rack and made it fall on the floor with a loud bang.

When Abel heard the band, he looked at Tabitha and saw her sleeping peacefully. Then he got up and walked toward the bathroom to see if Esther was okay. He came up to the door and opened it to find her on the floor as she was fixing the towel on the towel rack. "Esther? Are you all right? I heard a loud noise it here so I thought that maybe something happened." He said.

She turned her head and glared at him. "I'm fine!" She snorted and continued to look for the ring.

"Did you lose something?" He asked confused.

"Yes!" She replied angrily as she continued to search for it.

"What is it?" He questioned again and added, "I'll help you."

"It's just the wedding ring, but it doesn't mean anything!" She proclaimed as she stood up and stomped out of the room.

"E-Esther?" He gasped and held out a hand to stop her, but it didn't reach. He sighed, bent down, and began to look for the ring. "Not important?" He muttered. "Then why was she so desperate to find it?"

Esther sighed and lay down onto of her bed. She stared up into the ceiling and pictured Abel's carefree face. The face that made her fall in love with that first day she meet him when he scoffed down the bread and porridge she had given him. The sunlight from the setting sun that poked through the window had disappeared now and the room had grown dark. She sighed again, curled up into a ball, and placed her hands on her chest where her heart was._ "Why does the pain cease to end? I love him so much. Why can't he just return my feelings and replace the eternal pain with everlasting happiness?"_ She wondered as she lay there in the dark.

The door opened up and let a creak of light in, but some of it disappeared because a body blocked it as it came in. "Esther, I found it." A male voice said. But Esther didn't look up or reply. She just lay there as a tear fell from her eye and onto the blanket on the bed. She knew it was Abel.

His face looked even sadder when he didn't hear he reply or look up. He walked over to her bed and sat on the end of it. He looked at her curled up body and said, "Esther, here." He reached his long arm over to her head and placed the ring right before her face.

"I don't want it." She lied as another tear fell from her eye.

"Do you really mean that?" His serious voice asked.

His serious voice made the pain in her heart and the lump in her throat bigger. She wanted to jump into his arms and hug him as she cried, but her stubbornness stopped her.

"No." She whispered and sat up. She slipped the ring on her finger. "Even though it's fake, I still one it. Silly isn't?" She forced out a laugh, but then tears flowed down her cheeks.

"No, it's not silly." He comforted. He placed a hand on her shoulder and said, "Don't cry. There's no reason to."

"Yes there is." She said in between sobs. "I'm sorry, Abel."

He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. "It's okay." He backed away and said, "Now, get to sleep. We'll be in Rome in a few hours, so you need your rest." She nodded and fell back. He pulled the blankets over her and left the room. She watched him and when he closed the door as he left the room, she closed her eyes.

**yay! long chapter to make up last week's short one! i hope you enjoyed it! review please! **

* * *

** notes on countries:**

**Albion England**

**Allemagne Germany**

**Vahna Suomi Finland **

**Nordrvegr Norway**

Castile Spain

**notes on characters and their names: **

**Esther means 'star of hope'. She hates roses because around Abel's coffin at the church where he died was roses.**

**Abel means 'a breath'. Doesn't want to tell Esther that he loves her because he thinks that its best if he doesnt burren her with his Crusnik side. He wants her to marry a Terran and live a happy life.**

**Ion means 'God is good'. The name 'Ion' is Russian.  
**

**Tres means 'three' in Spanish. I believe that he was given this name because he was the thrid version of the 1st one in the very beginning of the 1st episode of Trinity Blood.**

**Catherine (or Catrina- Spanish version) means pure.**

**Tabitha means 'a gazelle'. A gazelle is a small graceful swift antelope native to the arid plains of Africa and Aisa that has long ringed horns and black face markings.**

**Cain means craftsman. Cain was in Vahna Suomi untill he found out that Abel and the Vatican wher coming to him. He escaped to Castile and brought with him a partner whom you will find out later about it the chapters to come...  
**


	12. Scene 12 Home At Last

**hey! im out of school! and im sorry but i didnt write a new chapter yet! i only corrected my errors in this one cuz there were lots of confusing ones! i got like 1 1/2 pages writen for the next chapter but im sorta stuck so be patience please! (i know its hard, im not patience at all!) but here's the corrected version of chapter 12!**

Chapter 12 Home At Last

Esther stared up at the cathedral as flames engulfed it. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she watched her home and all her memories of her life and Bishop Laura's. Then the words of the priest, who came to take Bishop Laura's place, re-entered her mind.

"Why?" She had asked as she had watched the soldier place handcuffs on the priest's wrists. The priest, of coarse, was Father Abel Nightroad.

"You really have to ask?" He had said compassionately after soldier had backed off. "Well, it's because I am your friend." Those words gravely melted into her heart.

Suddenly the scene of the burning cathedral disappeared and Esther was running down a partly dark hallway. She was alone and scared to death. She ran straight toward an open door. A man clothed in a white cloak stood inside the room right next to the door. As she got closer she saw a familiar crusnik with his blood-red scythe flying toward the white-cloaked man. She saw the crusnik's burnt-red eyes grow wide as he recognized her.

Suddenly there was a thunderous boom and Abel's crusnik being left him. He started to fall forward, only to rest a bit on the white-cloaked man shoulder. Abel's glacier-blue eyes looked at her with pain and fright as he said with the last of his breath, "Es…ther…" His body slipped off the man's shoulders and fell sideways toward the ground.

Esther watched him as hit the ground and as blood poured out from his fatal wound and the blood soon gathered into a puddle underneath his body. "N-NOOOOOO!!" She screamed as she covered her eyes with her hands as tears fell from them and her knees fell onto the cold, metal ground.

* * *

Abel shook the screaming Esther gently as she lay in her bed. He called to her, "Esther, Esther! Wake up!" She flung her eyelids open as she woke up with a jolt and breathed in and out deeply. "Abel?" She whispered as she was still in a state of shock. 

"Esther, are you all right? Did you have a nightmare?" He asked. Slowly she nodded her head as tears picked at the corner of her eyes. "Would you like to tell me about it?" He asked in a soothing tone. She nodded again just as slowly as the first.

Moments passed and she still had not spoken a word to him. Abel figured that she really didn't want to talk so he said, "It's okay. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"No!" She gasped and looked up at him, right into his eyes. He saw fright and sorrow deep inside her eyes. She then began to speak, "I...I was running down a dark hallway when I came to an opened door. A man with a white cloak was standing in the door way…."

"_Cain!"_ He thought and continued to listen to her.

"Then I saw your crusnik form," she continued, "flying at him. You had your scythe out, and you were going to kill that man. But, when you saw me, you stopped. Then that man killed you and were dead at my feet!" Tear poured down from her eyes as she squeezed the blanket that was over her legs.

He looked at her and understood every word of it. That nightmare was a memory. It was a memory of his death. A pain burdened his heart and so to ease her pain and his own, he began to sing.

"_I've found a secret place,_

_of comfort and release,_

_a special place of healing,_

_a quiet place of peace."_

Esther looked back up at him when she heard him singing to her. He gently grabbed her hand and continued to sing as she closed her eyes with pleasure,

"_And everyone who dwells there,_

_finds rest beneath God's wings._

_In the shade of His pavilion,_

_New strength He always brings._

_I find hope,_

_I find grace,_

_far away from the world's embrace._

_He gives me rest,_

_He keeps me safe,_

_I find His strength,_

_I seek His face,_

_in the secret place._

_With every trial He brings,_

_my Lord will make a way,_

_to strength and protect me,_

_to help me face each day._

_He leads me through the valley, _

_to draw me closer still,_

_knowing even in the shadows,_

_I find his perfect will._

_I find hope,_

_I find grace,_

_far away from the world's embrace._

_He gives me rest,_

_He keeps me safe,_

_I find His strength,_

_I seek His face,_

_in the secret place._

_I find hope,_

_I find grace,_

_far away from the world's embrace._

_He gives me rest,_

_He keeps me safe,_

_I find His strength,_

_I seek His face,_

_in the secret place._

_He gives me rest,_

_I seek His face,_

_in the secret place." ('In the Secret Place' from the cantata 'Only By His Grace' by Ron Hamilton)_

Esther opened her eyes and looked into his. "Are you feeling better?" He asked as he stared back into hers. She nodded with a smile. "Good." He said. "Ion has brought us breakfast. We should be in Rome in about 30 minutes." He continued and stood up. He started to walk to the door when a voice stopped him. "Wait, Abel." It called and, of coarse, it was Esther's. He turned to her with his usual smile and said, "What is it Esther?"

"Thank you." She said with a smile full of love. He continued his usual, goofy smile and said, "Anytime, dear Esther." And with that, he turned and left the room. He closed the door behind and walked down the small hallway and into the main room where Tres, Ion, and Tabitha sat at the dinning table. They were all waiting for him and Esther. He took his seat next to Tres.

"Is everything all right with her Majesty, Queen Esther?" Tres asked him. Abel smiled still and said, "Yes, Tres. Everything is fine. She should be here any moment." Right on cue, Esther came running into the room. "Sorry, I made you wait-" She said as her foot tripped over the corner of the rug and she leaded flat on her face.

"Esther!" Ion and Abel gasped; both of them were worried to death that she had broken something. She laughed lightly and quickly got back on her feet. "I'm okay." She said as she brushed the imaginary dirt off of her dress. She sat down between Abel and Tabitha and said, "Well, shall we begin?"

* * *

Esther, while she held Tabitha in her arms, walked in the streets of Rome. It was sunny and warm for it beginning October. Birds flew pass them and the men and android that followed behind them. "Miss Esther, where are we going?" Tabitha curiously asked. 

"We are going to where Mister Abel and Mister Tres work." She replied to the six year old.

"Where's that?" Tabitha asked again. "The church." Esther answered calmly.

"The church?" Tabitha repeated. "So they're 'Fathers'?"

"Yes, that's right Tabitha. Tres and I are priests in this lovely city of Rome!" Abel exclaimed behind Esther.

"But I thought priests couldn't marry and aren't you and Miss Esther married?" She asked Abel this time.

They came to the bridge that lead to the Vatican's gates and began to across it. "Well, they're not **really** married. It a disguise." Ion answered for them as they all crossed it.

"A disguise?" Tabitha questioned. "Why do they need a disguise? Did they do something bad?"

"No. They're chasing down a powerful being that could place his hand in front of you and kill you by blowing you up." Ion teased and mimicked Cain's attack.

Tabitha jumped and buried her head onto Esther's shoulder and neck as tears poured down her cheeks. "Miss Esther, I don't wanna be blown up!" She cried.

"There, there. You're not going to be blown up. Don't worry." Esther comforted. She turned at looked at Ion. "Ion! I can't believe you! Scaring a poor little girl!"

"What? I was just telling the truth." He said in his defense. All of them had stopped now. "Ion, don't ever say that again." Abel said as he looked at Ion seriously. "Fine." Ion snorted and they continued their walk toward the Vatican.

Esther looked at Abel at of the corner her eye. She saw that his face was sad and serious. _"Poor Abel."_ She thought as she rubbed Tabitha's back. They neared the front gates of the Vatican and soon they walked through them. The guards at the gates smiled and waved at Abel and Esther showing that they missed them. Esther remembered the first time she came to the Vatican and became an AX member. Her and Abel had neared the gates when the guards had stopped them asking for his ID card. Abel had hastily searched for it in his cloak pockets, but didn't find it. Candy had fallen from his pockets instead. _"I know I have it somewhere."_ He had told them as he still looked for his ID. _"Abel." _She had sighed. _"Wait! Esther, believe me! I really do work here!" _He had told her.

Esther giggled at the sweet memory that made Abel wonder what on earth was she thinking about. Tabitha had stopped crying and said as she looked at the big cathedral of the Vatican with a big smile, "Wow, pretty church!"

"Yes, it's wonderful. Isn't it, Abel?" Esther said and smiled a pure smile of love. Abel just nodded at her and Tabitha. All five of them made their way into the church. They walked down its long hallways.

"William! Where are you? I know you're here somewhere! Get out here right now!" A familiar woman's voice yelled throughout the hallways as Sister Kate floated around the corner with a very frustrated look on her face.

"Oh, good morning Sister Kate!" Abel exclaimed with his goofy smile.

"Oh, Father Nightroad. Have you seen-" Sister Kate started. Her eyes grew wide as she recognized who was standing before her. "Father Nightroad! Esther! It's so good to see you again! I'm glad you're both all right! Well, if you excuse me. I have to go find Professor. Lady Catherine wanted to speak with him about another one of his failed "experiments"."

Tabitha stared at Sister Kate. "Miss Esther! That lady! I can see right through her and she's floating!" Tabitha whispered into Esther's ear.

"Well, Tabitha, Sister Kate is a hologram. That's her computer body. Her real body is on the airship _The Iron Maiden_." Esther whispered back into Tabitha's ear.

"Well see you all later!" Sister Kate said and waved as she floated down the hallway.

"Bye, Sister Kate!" Abel called after her with a wave. He turned back to his friends and said, "Well, we should get going. Lady Catherine will get mad if we're late!" He took a step forward only to trip over a clay pot of light blue and white petunias.

"Abel!" Esther gasped and walked over to him. She looked down at him and asked, "Abel, are you all right?"

He looked up and said, "Yes. Just fine."

* * *

Lady Catherine sat in her desk as she signed her name on a piece of paper. The sunlight shone through the window, making her blonde hair look shinier and her red carnal robes look redder. A small rap came on her door. She looked up from her work and said, "Come in." 

The door opened and a certain silver haired priest with glasses and a goofy smile walked in. "Good morning, Catherine!" He greeted as he let Esther, who still held Tabitha, Father Tres, and Ion into the room as well.

"I see you all made it safe and sound." Lady Catherine said with a smile. "I see we have another guest. Who is this little one's name?"

Tabitha had fallen asleep in Esther's arms, so Esther answered for her. "Her name is Tabitha Cromwell. Her mother died from a heart attack on the airship we where on and her father died in one of Cain's attacks." Esther's eyes grew sad at the mention of that day.

"So she's an orphan. Queen Esther, you let her rest in your old room." Lady Catherine said.

"All right. Thanks, Lady Catherine." Esther said and turned toward the door.

"I'll help her!" Ion spoke up and walked to the door. He opened it up for her and she walked out. Then he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him.

"So Father Abel, Father Tres. What news do you have for me?" Lady Catherine slyly asked, however, she had no mind on being deceitful or anything. That's just her way of speaking.

"As you have heard from Father Tres," Abel said seriously, his face too was very serious, "Cain is in Castile. The question is: how do you plan on us reaching him?"

"It seems that going under complete undercover didn't fool him. But who could that fool anyway?" She laughed sarcastically. She looked at Abel and Tres slyly again and said, "You'll go under your own identity, except Esther. Tell her to go undercover as a nun. We can't have Cain capturing her or some Queen Esther haters try to assassinate her."

Abel shuddered at the thought of Esther getting captured by Cain or getting assassinated. "Yes, Catherine. I agree."

* * *

Esther sat at the edge of her old bed in her old room. She looked over at Tabitha as Tabitha slept peacefully. She then looked round the room. "It's been so long since I've been here." She said half to herself and half to Ion, who stood next to the door 

"It must be painful to return here?" He asked.

"No." She answered. "I feel happier to be here than at the palace back in Albion."

"Why is that?" He asked curiously with a hint of envy.

"I don't know." She said plainly. She laughed slightly. "Maybe it was because of Abel. I was so worried about him. You know how unselfish he could be. He could have been starving himself to feed you."

"_He did that."_ Ion thought.

She continued on, "And he could have pretend to be strong but deep inside was really scared."

"_He was scared and still is scared. Scared for__**your**__ safety! Heck, I'm scared for your safety as well!" _He thought as he looked at her as she continued. "He made me feel so happy, Ion. I haven't felt this happy since the day before we planned to go to Albion. He and I went out for tea together and had a lovely time."

Ion looked at her. Love danced across her eyes. He couldn't stand it! He opened the door and walked out, letting it close quietly behind him.

She heard the soft closing of the door at looked at it. Ion was gone. "Ion?" She softly called.

* * *

Outside, Ion furiously walked through the garden. _"She doesn't love __**me**__! She loves __**him**__! I can't believe it! I thought she loved me! After that episode in Radu's prison cell, I could have sworn she loved me! I guess…I was just…wrong. She loves Abel."_ He looked up into the blue sky that was filled with big, white, fluffy clouds. _"I guess all I can do is let her be happy."_ (A/N Ion wears this suntan lotion stuff that allows him to walk in the sunlight.)

* * *

Esther still sat on her old bed. She reached over and played with Tabitha's locks of short, curly, brown hair. She jumped when she heard a soft rapping at the door. She relaxed when she heard a voice after it. "Esther, may I come in?" It was Abel. 

"Yes, come in." Esther said as she fixed the bottom of her dress. The door open and closed as Abel walked in. He came closed to her and joined her on the bed.

"So what did Lady Catherine say?" Esther asked.

Abel slowly let out a sigh and answered, "She told us to leave tomorrow afternoon."

"And what about our disguise?" She asked and let a small laugh escape her mouth.

"_We_ won't have a disguise, but you will." He said.

"Oh, well what's _my_ disguise then?" She curiously asked with a smile.

"Your old occupation." He told her calmly.

"I see." She said and down at her left hand where the fake wedding ring was on. "I guess I won't be needing this anymore." She said as she played with it on her finger.

Abel looked at her. Her cheerful, loving face was now gone and sorrow replaced it. He noticed a gold chain on her neck. He reached over and touched the gold chain and her neck in the process. He felt her jump at his cold touch. "What are you doing?" She asked in a whisper.

"Shh. Relax." He whispered back as fingers fumbled on her necklace's latch and he unlatched it. He slid the gold, warm, cross necklace off her neck and then placed it on the bed. He grabbed her left hand gently and felt her shiver and goose bumps begin up her hand and arm as his cold fingers touched her again. He took the gold ring off her finger and let go of her hand He picked up the gold cross necklace and slid the gold ring on the gold chain. It slid down and stopped at the gold cross that sagged in the middle of the chain. He reached over again and wrapped his arms loosely around her neck and latched the necklace around her neck once more. Then he took off his gold cross necklace and fake wedding ring and did the same. "There. Now you can keep it close by your heart." He said as he stood up. "Come on. Lady Catherine invited us to lunch." He said as he began to walk toward the door.

"Wait, Abel!" She called out. He turned and she continued, "What about Tabitha?"

"Oh, that's right. Do you want to wake her up?" He asked as he looked down at the sleeping girl.

"I don't know." She said and looked at Tabitha as well. "Oh, Abel. It going to be so hard to leave her here."

"I know how you feel, Esther. But we have to leave her here. It's too dangerous." He said. _"Now you know how I feel, Esther. I don't want to take you because it's too dangerous."_ He thought to himself.

"Hey, Abel?" She said and looked up at him.

"Yes Esther?" His glance met hers and she asked, "Abel, do you want to have children?"

He chuckled softly. "Yes, Esther. I do. For children are God's special gifts." He smiled calmly and said, "Come Esther. We'll bring her something to eat later."

"All right." She said and followed him out of the room.


	13. Scene 13 Baking Up Love

**hey! look! i updated! yay! the 13th chapter is completed! it's like over 4,000 words and it took like 10 pages to write soooooo here you guys go! i'm glad you all love my story! **

* * *

Chapter 13 Baking Up Love 

Esther lay next to a sleeping Tabitha in their bed. She stared at the ceiling and listened to the calming pitter-patter of the light rain as it danced on the roof. She just couldn't get to sleep. What Abel had told her earlier ran through her head again and again:

_They had been walking down the hallway back to Esther and Tabitha's room. Esther had carried a plate of food for Tabitha, since Tabitha had skipped out on lunch to take a nap. _

_Esther had broken the silence between them first by asking, "So, Abel, um, where does Lady Catherine want us to go in Castile?"_

_Abel had looked down at his feet and didn't answer; a pain that of sorrow had shown on his face. _

_Esther had asked again, "Did she say what city? Or did she simply say 'Castile'?"_

_Abel had continued to look down at his feet, but he had answered, "Barcelona."_

"_But, Abel? Wasn't Barcelona destroyed along with––" She had clapped a hand over her mouth._

"_Along with Sister Noelle." He had finished for her. He had looked at her with eyes full of pain and sorrow and had continued, "Yes, it was. But the People of Castile began to rebuild it. True, its original beauty is gone forever, along with Sister Noelle, but a new city of Barcelona is now created." They had reached Esther's room. "Until tomorrow, Esther." He said bittersweetly and had walked to his room._

_Esther had blinked the tears that were forming in her eyes away as she had watched him go. After she knew that the tears were gone, she had opened the door and had disappeared inside the room as the door had closed with a soft clank._

Esther crawled out of bed. She couldn't sleep, no matter how hard she tried. She knew that she had to leave Tabitha behind tomorrow and now she made Abel sad. _"How in the world could I make it up to both of them?"_ She wondered._ "I know Abel likes sweets and any child likes cookies, right? Maybe I could make them some? It's not too late and cookies could only take about a hour to make. Yes, I'll make some!"_ She decided and quickly, but quietly, got dressed out of her nightclothes and into her nun dress and left the room. Not even bothering to put on her wimple.

* * *

Abel lay in his bed. The covers were pulled tightly to his chin and his room was dark. His silver hair had been let down and was sprawled over his pillow. His glasses were set on the nightstand next to him and his eyes were lightly closed. He wasn't asleep. The fact is that he _couldn't_ sleep. He was hungry. Again. He sat up and placed a hand on his stomach. "Cursed stomach. Now matter how much I eat, there's no way to calm this beast I call a belly." He whined quietly as he slipped his long legs out of the covers and let his feet touch the cold wooden floor. He grabbed his glasses gently, opened them, and slipped them on his face. 

He quietly got dress in this normal priest outfit, gloves and all, and fixed his hair. Then walked of his room and toward the kitchen. He was almost there and made his way around a corner, when a certain red headed _nun_ smacked her face into his chest.

He looked down at her and Esther looked up at him. A blush made its way onto Esther face as she backed up a bit and she squeaked, "S-sorry."

He smiled slightly. "It's all right."

She began to fumble with her fingers while she asked, "Um, Abel, do you happen to know which way the kitchen is?"

"Yes, I do. I was just on my way there. Funny coincidence." He said with a soft giggle.

"Oh, well then, lead the way!" She said and he walked in front of her.

They arrived at the kitchen. It was a fairly small room with a stove that had a black pot still on it, an oven under the stove, a counter that was connected to the stove and oven, a sink in the counter, an small black icebox, and lots of cabinets below and above the counter. The walls were white with a three inch black stripe that circled the middle of the wall. The counters were black marble and the oven was black as well.

Esther walked over to the icebox and pulled out an egg and a stick of butter. She hurriedly walked over to on of the cabinets and took out a ceramic white bowl. She placed the egg and butter inside and placed the bowl on the counter. She quickly walked over to another cabinet and took out a bag of flour and a bag of sugar, along with a small box of baking powder and a small box of baking soda. She struggled to bring them over to the counter.

Abel had watched her with a confused look on his face and when he saw her struggle with the bags and small boxes, he took action. He quickly walked over to her and grabbed the bags of flour and sugar. Esther blushed at this. "What are you doing, Esther?" He asked as he placed the bags next to the ceramic bowl on the counter.

"I'm making sugar cookies for Tabitha." She answered simply as she placed the boxes of baking powder and soda on the counter next to the bags and ceramic bowl.

"Well if you are making cookies for Tabitha, allow me to help." He said and opened the cabinet above them, taking out a glass-measuring cup, placed it next to the other supplies.

"Oh, Abel, I couldn't­­­­––" She started but he stopped her, "No worries. I can bake a bit as well. Just give me the orders and I'll follow." He smiled whole-heartily as he took out a silver spoon and a wooded one as well from a drawer.

"All right." She sighed. "Crack a half an egg."

"Right, crack a half an egg." He said as he picked up the egg and held it next to the bowl, ready to crack it, but he didn't. He just stood there, frozen. "Um, Esther? How do you crack a haft an egg?" He asked pitifully. He really had no clue in what he was doing.

She sighed again. "Here. Let me show you." She took the egg from his hand, cracked it over the bowl, opened a small crack in the egg, let the clear part fall into the bowl, and left the yolk inside the shell. Then she tossed the egg into the trashcan. "There, that's how to use haft an egg." She said as she wiped her hands on a dishtowel.

"Oh! I see!" He said surprised at her knowledge of baking and clapped softly. "Very good, _Chef_ Esther!" He complemented annunciating the word _chef_.

She nodded her head and said, "May we continue?" She grabbed a bottle of vanilla extract down from the cabinet closest to her right and picked up the silver spoon. She carefully poured the vanilla extract on the spoon, filling it half way. She dumped it over the egg in the bowl. "Abel," she said while she did this, "mix together in another bowl, one and one-third cups of flour, half a spoonful of baking soda, and a fourth a spoonful of baking powder."

She set the spoon down and looked up at him. He had already taken his white gloves off and grabbed the measuring cup and bag of flour. He began to do as she said and she smiled at this. She turned to the oven and turned the gas on. She had set it to three hundred, seventy-five degrees Fahrenheit. She turned back to him. He smiled childishly as he held the bowl in his left hand and arm against his chest as he mixed the three dry ingredients with the wooden spoon in his right hand. She smiled as well.

He set the bowl back down on the counter. "What's next?" He asked quizzically.

She smiled teasingly. "Three-fourths of a cup of _sugar_." She pointed her head toward the bag of sugar as she said it.

He smiled jokingly as well as he picked up the paper bag of sugar and poured three-fourths of a cup into the measuring cup. Then he set the bag back on the counter and picked up the measuring cup. "Which bowl?" He asked.

"_He's clueless."_ She thought silently and said, "The one with the vanilla and egg." She leaned her arm on the counter top as she watched him pour it into the bowl. She yawned. She was finally getting sleepy. _"Sleep. Maybe, I'm sleepy because I'm calm. I'm calm with him; with Abel."_

He set the measuring cup down again and looked at her for more instructions. He noticed her half-awake expression and asked, "Esther, are you tired?"

"No." She said as she yawned. He gave he a yes-you-are look and she sighed, "All right maybe a little."

"Do you want to go to bed? It's already," he glanced at the clock on the wall, "eleven o'clock."

"No. I'm fine. It's not that late." She said with a wave of her hand. "Let's see what's next?" She stopped leaning on the counter and looked at the ingredients. "Ah, yes!" She quietly exclaimed. "The softened stick of butter." She picked it up. "Let's see. It feels pretty soft to me." She took of the brown paper that wrapped it and dropped it into the bowl. Then she picked up the wooden spoon and stirred the ingredients in the bowl.

He gazed at her as he thought to himself. _"She's so beautiful. Ahhh, but this is wrong! She deserves better! Not some __**monste**__r like me…."_

After awhile of stirring, she instructed him again, "Abel, pour the other bowl of ingredients into this one."

He snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of her voice. "Oh, yes." He picked up the bowl and poured the white powdery ingredients into her bowl. He set the bowl down and watched her struggle to stir the hard, sticky dough. "Here. Let me stir it." He said as he took the bowl from her.

"All right." She agreed and let him take it. She watched him place the bowl against the side of his chest and hold it with his left arm and hand as he stirred the dough with the wooden spoon with the same childish expression again. She giggled lightly so that he wouldn't hear. He didn't.

She turned back to the bottom cabinet next to the oven, pulled out two cookie sheets, and set them on the counter on the other side of the stove.

"Um, Esther? Is the dough ready?" Abel asked as he showed her the bowl of dough. It was thick, round, and lumpy, a perfect ball of cookie dough.

Esther looked at it and became a bit jealous that he made it so easily. _"I guess it helps to be a guy and have muscles. Not like some wimpy girl like me."_ She nodded and smiled. "It's perfect!" She took the bowl from him and set it down next to the cookie sheet. She placed her hand inside the bowl and scooped up a hand full of dough. She then ripped it in half and gave the other half to Abel.

He took it with a confused expression. He curiously watched Esther as she ripped her piece in half, rolled the two pieces into little balls, and placed them on the cookie sheet two inches apart. He copied her process and placed the balls of dough next to hers. They were similar, except the fact that one of his was bigger than the rest and the other was smaller than the rest.

Esther, who was working on her next two cookies, laughed lightly at this. Abel gave her a 'what?' look and that made her laugh a little louder as she place her balls of dough next to his sloppy, distorted ones. He pouted slightly as he picked up a half a hand full of dough and made to more balls of cookie dough.

Esther looked at him and mimicked his pouting face and received a 'Hey!' from him.

"Hey, cut it out!" He pleaded. She ignored him. She just kept her eyes closed, knitted her eyebrows together, scrunched up her nose, and stuck her lips out farther.

This gave Abel an idea.

Esther flew her eyelids open when she felt something cold and sweet touch her lips. She saw Abel's hand against her face and felt and smell cookie dough against her mouth. She opened her mouth and ate it. "Thank you." She smiled slyly.

He closed his eyes and raised his eyebrows up. "Hmm." He opened his eyes slightly and looked at her before turning back to the counter with the bowl of cookie dough and the cookie sheet, which was not even half filled, of unbaked cookies. He picked up another hand full of cookie dough and began these cookies as well.

Esther looked at him, slyly still. She had thought of a way to get even. She slipped behind him and poked him hard in the back right under the rib cadge. (A/N: that hurts! My friend, Erin, does that a lot to me and my friends!)

He panicked at this and flew his long arms into the air with a quiet, "Yeow!" However, when he flew his arms into the air, he let go of the cookie dough. It flew up and hit the ceiling, sticking to it.

She giggled at his action.

"Esther, look what you made me do! Now we have cookie dough snuck on the ceiling!" He complained with a face full of pain, fright, annoyance, and happiness all at the same time.

She laughed harder. He sighed and stood on his tiptoes and reached up. He grabbed the cookie dough and pulled it off, however, it left a pale tan stain behind. He sighed again as he shock his head and dropped the dough into the metal trashcan.

She stopped laughing, but a smile still had a place on her face. She went back to work. He joined her soon after. In a small amount of time they were done and were ready to put the cookies into the oven. Both of them took a tray and slipped it into the oven and together they closed the oven and looked inside it from its glass window.

They both looked up at each other, faces only an inch apart. They looked into each other's eyes; both had a sense of longing in them. They felt each other's breathe on their faces. Abel smelled her rose filled scent as he blushed lightly and Esther blushed madly. They spun around. Their backs faced each other.

"_She's beautiful. No, more than just that! She's gorgeous, stunning, dazzling! She's incredible…."_ He thought to himself._ "Oh, but she doesn't deserve me. I don't deserve a woman as fine as she. Oh Lord, why must she burden my heart so much? Lord, why must she make my heart hurt; throb?"_

While Abel thought his thoughts, Esther had some of her own. _"Why can't I tell him that I love him? Why? Why? WHY? I love him so much. This should be easy! I can't bear to see him leave me again! Knowing him, he'll try, someday. I must tell him! Now? No, it's too awkward now. Maybe…." _Her thoughts were interrupted by Abel's voice.

"Esther, while we're waiting for the cookies to bake, why don't we clean up?" He asked as he rubbed the back of his neck and turned around to face her.

"Yes, I suppose we should." She said bluntly and softly. She grabbed the bowl and spoons and walked over to the sink. She set them next to it and turned the faucet on. She grabbed the drain stopped, which was in the sink, and plugged up the drain with it. She bent over, opened the cabinet under the sink, and took out a clear bottle of clear liquid soap. She dumped some into the rising water and shortly after, bubbles began to form in the water. As the water grew, so did the bubbles. After the bubbles were about two inches over the sink, she turned the water off and placed the bowl and spoons into the sink. She grabbed the sponge and grabbed the bowl from under the soapy water.

Abel came up behind her with the measuring cup and took the sponge from her. "I'll wash. You dry." He said as he began to wash the measuring cup.

"Oh, um, all right." She said slowly and grabbed the dishtowel. Abel had already washed and rinised the measuring cup and so, he handed it to her to dry. She took it and dried it, starting with the outside first and worked her way to the inside. She set it down and took the bowl from him next. She did the same with the bowl. She set down and turned to him.

He was washing the silver spoon. He dipped it into the water, pulled it out, shook it lightly, and handed it to her. She reached to get it, but he let go of it too early and it plopped into the soapy water. Both of them reached to get it, but instead of grabbed the spoon, they grabbed each other's hands. They both blushed when they realized that and quickly let go of each other's hands.

"S-Sorry." They both stuttered in unison.

Esther reached again for the silver spoon and pulled it out, while Abel washed the wooden one. She dried it with the dishtowel and set it next to the bowl and measuring cup. He gave her the other spoon and dried his hands on an extra dishtowel.

"Esther, I'll put the ingredients away." He suggested while he dried his hands off.

"All right." She agreed and dried the wooden spoon. She stared at it, lost in thought. The hand accident replayed though her head over and over again. Suddenly Abel's voice brought her back into reality.

"Esther, does the flour go here?" He asked.

She quickly set the spoon down and spun around, knocking the wooden spoon onto the tile floor, only to see that he had placed the flour unstably on one of the highest shelves in the upper cabinets. She quickly rushed over to him with her hand out saying, "Abel, not––"

The flour had fallen on both of them. White powder caked their bodies, hair, clothes, and Abel's glasses along with the floor, counter, and the cabinet that it fell from.

"––there." Esther said as she spat flour out of her mouth and wiped it from her eyes.

Abel chuckled faintly. "Sorry, Esther." He said and removed his glasses. He blew the flour off of them. The white flour floated in the air an into Esther's nose, she sneezed.

"It's all right, Abel." She sighed as he put his glassed back on. "I guess we'll just have to clean this up now." She turned and walked over to a tall, long cabinet. She opened it up and inside was two brooms, a mop with a bucket next to it, some cleaning chemicals, and a dustpan. She took out the two brooms and the dustpan, turned to Abel, and said, "Here. Take one and start sweeping."

"Yes, Ma'am!" He said jokingly as he grabbed the broom from her. She glared at him and he smiled. He brushed off the flour on himself first then swept the floor.

They had swept the flour all into a pile. Esther handed him the dustpan. He took it, knelt on the floor, and placed it against the tile floor in front of the pile of flour. Esther stood on the other side and started to sweep some of the pile into the dustpan. He looked up at her like a little curious puppy. _"Cute."_ He thought and looked back down at the dustpan. It was almost full with flour.

He stood up and carefully brought the pan up with him. He cautiously walked over to the metal trashcan and dumped the white flour into it. He walked back over and got onto his knees once again and held the pan onto the floor next to the flour. She began to sweep again.

Soon they were done with sweeping the flour up. Esther glanced at the clock. It read, "11:20." That meant the cookies were done. She took the oven mitts off their hangers and slipped them on. She opened the door to the oven and took the trays of fresh baked cookies out. She placed them on the stove and closed the oven. She took off the mitts and placed them back on their hangers.

Abel waltzed over to her and the cookies. "Mmm. They smell wonderful!" He said, as he smelt the warm, sweet scent in.

"Yes, they do." She agreed and turned to him.

"So Esther, what do we do next?" He asked clueless.

She looked passed his carefree face and into his sparkling glacier-blue eyes. "Kiss." She said seriously.

He was taken aback by her answer. _"Kiss? Is she serious?"_ He looked back at her. Her eyes were closed; her neck was stretched out to meet his lips. He cupped her left check, which flour was still on, with his right hand and bent over to catch her lips in his.

"What are you going, Father Nightroad?" A mechanical voice interrupted.

Abel spun around and saw Father Tres as Father Tres stood in the doorway. He rubbed the back of his neck nervously as he said, "Um, I was…I was helping Esther bake cookies for Tabitha, Tres!"

"Father Nightroad, you need to recharge. We have a long journey in 13.51 hours." Tres replied.

"Um, I suppose you're right!" Abel agreed and looked at Esther. "Good night, Esther!"

"Goodnight, Abel." She said with a sad smile.

Abel walked over toward Tres and pushed Tres down the hallway. _"Great! The reason I come down to the kitchen was to get something to eat and I didn't get anything!" _Abel silently pouted.

"Father Nightroad, why are you pushing me?" Father Tres robotically asked.

Abel stopped and said, "Oh, sorry, Tres! I was just in a hurry! Ha. Ha."

"And why are you covered in a white powder, called _flour_?" Tres asked.

"Long story, Tres. You won't be interested." Abel said and walked down the hallway leaving Tres by himself.

* * *

Inside the kitchen, Esther started to put the cookies into a bowl. A tear fell from her eye and onto the counter. She wiped the other tears from her eyes. _"Why am I crying for? It wasn't his fault for not kissing me. He was going to, but Father Tres interrupted us. So, Esther, get a hold of yourself!"_ She turned to a drawer and opened it. She took out a piece of scrap paper and a pen and wrote on it _Sorry_. She put the pen back into the drawer, took the bowl and piece of paper with her, turned the lights off, and left the kitchen.

* * *

Abel, who had changed into his nightclothes, sat on his bed as he held his stomach. It growl again. He sighed. _"I wished I got a cookie! I'm starving!"_

Suddenly there was a soft knock on his door. He slowly got up, walked over to his door, opened it, and poked his head out. "Hello?" He whispered.

Nobody was there.

He looked to his left, to his right, then at the floor.

There on his doorstep was a folder piece of paper and on the paper was a cookie. He picked them both up and stuck the top of the cookie in his mouth. He opened the paper.

"_'Sorry'."_ He read silently.

_"Esther. I'm the one who's sorry." _he thought, "_I wanted to kiss you but…Tres he…I…urgh!! Thank you, Esther." _He folded the paper and closed the door.

* * *

Recipe for Sugar Cookies

Ingriendents

1 & 1/3 cups and 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour  
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda  
1/4 teaspoon of baking podwer  
1/2 cup of softened butter  
3/4 cupe of white sugar  
1/2 egg  
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degree F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking podwer. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Recipe from: 


	14. Scene 14 Tearful Goodbyes

Chapter 14: Tearful Goodbyes

Sunlight flowed freely down from the sky and bathed the whole garden with its warm, bright light. Tabitha ran freely through the gardens as Abel chased her. She turned and laughed as she called to him, "Come and catch me Father Abel!" Abel laughed and began to run faster. She noticed how determined he was and screamed as she ran away from him.

In time Abel caught up with her and captured her in his arms. "Ha. Ha. I got you!"

"No!" Tabitha said as she squirmed in his arms. "No fair! You're bigger than me!"

"Now what does that have to do with playing tag?" He jokingly asked.

"It means everything!" She protested. "You have longer legs! So you can run faster than me!"

"Yes, that's true, but you are younger than me and have more energy." He said as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

Esther, who sat in a patio chair next to a patio table that had the bowl of sugar cookies and a pot and cups of tea on it, laughed as she watched them.

However, Abel heard her faint giggled and looked over at the disguised queen. He spun Tabitha and himself around to face her and called out, "If you want to laugh and have fun, you can always join us!"

"Yes, Miss -I mean- 'Sister' Esther! Join us!" Tabitha called as well.

"Oh, I'd love to, but…" Esther smiled at them, "you two play together. I'll just stay here." She straightened the end of her nun's dress nervously.

Abel sadly set Tabitha down. _"Esther…"_ he thought, _"is something wrong? Or is it what I said yesterday about us having to say goodbye to Tabitha?"_

Tabitha ha ran up to Esther and hugged Esther's legs and shirt tightly. She loosed her grip and looked back up at Esther as she said, "Sister Esther? Why won't you play with us? Are you not feeling well?"

"Oh, no, Tabitha. No, I'm fine. I just… just have a lot of things on my mind." She said as she looked back down at the six year old. The church bells rang loudly throughout the church's garden. After their melodious song, they chimed once. It was one o'clock.

Esther looked up into Abel's eyes. Her eyes asked, _"Abel? Do we tell her goodbye now?"_

He nodded sympathetically.

Esther booked back down at Tabitha. She started, "Tabitha, as much as it pains me to say this." She took a deep breath as Tabitha asked,

"What is it, Sister Esther?"

"We must––" Esther lightly closed her eyes to stop the tears to freely flow down her cheeks. "We must say goodbye, Tabitha."

"Wait! Sister Esther? What do you mean? Goodbye?" Tabitha panicked.

"Father Abel and I, along with Father Tres and Ion, are leaving on a mission and we can't bring you with us for it is too dangerous." Esther explained.

"But Sister Esther! I want to go with you and Father Abel! Please don't leave me behind too! Not like Mommy and Daddy!" Tabitha pleaded as tears flowed down her cheeks.

Tears flowed down Esther's cheeks too as she hugged Tabitha dearly. _"Now I understand Abel. Why you were so upset at me. I wouldn't want to loose Tabitha and you wouldn't want to loose…me."_ She thought as she remembered their argument on the airship.

Abel came up behind Tabitha and hugged her as well as he hugged Esther in the process. "Tabitha, we promise to come back for you, but for now, we must say goodbye." He told her as he caressed both girls' backs. "You won't be alone, Tabitha. You'll be here with Professor, Lady Catherine, Sister Kate, and even Father Leon! As well as His Holiness."

"But Father Abel; Sister Esther! I want to be with you! You remind me of my mommy and daddy! I want to be with you! Don't leave me too!" Tabitha cried.

"Father Nightroad. Sister Esther. We must leave." A robotic voice said.

Esther and Abel turned their heads and saw Lady Catherine, Father Tres, and Ion as they walked down the outside hallways.

"Father Nightroad…?" Lady Catherine whispered. She had never seen Abel this attached to a child before.

Abel let go of both Tabitha and Esther and stood up. "Come on, Esther. We must leave now."

Esther nodded sadly and stood up. Tabitha still clutched Esther's waist and wouldn't let go. "Tabitha. We have to go now." She said firmly yet full of sorrow.

"No! I don't want you to leave! Please stay!" Tabitha begged as she cried even more.

Esther bent down and prided the little girl off her waist. Tabitha squirmed a bit to grab onto Esther's waist again, but Esther held Tabitha's hands in hers and looked at her. She kissed her forehead and said, "Ci vedremo ancora. Prometto, il mio bambino piccolo."

Tabitha nodded. Esther stood up and joined Abel, Tres, and Ion. Lady Catherine walked over to Tabitha and placed a hand on the little girl's shoulder.

"They'll be back soon." She told her.

Tabitha nodded once again. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled, "Bye, Father Abel! Bye, Sister Esther! I'll miss you and I'm waitin' for you! Come back soon!"

Abel and Esther turned their heads and smiled compassionately at little Tabitha, who stood in front of Lady Catherine. They looked ahead at Father Tres and Ion as they walked toward the entrance/exit of the Vatican and continued to walk toward it. Soon they met up with them and left the Vatican once again.

_We'll see each other again. I promise, my little child._

* * *

**yeah... really short chapter but hey its better than nothing right! …?…okay well i wrote this one at school like 3 weeks ago and it was going to be the 13th chapter but i changed it and put the Baking Up Love one instead!**

** okay when Esther spoke Italian in this she was saying _We'll see each other again. I promise, my little child._ Just in case one of you guys didnt get it! I don't speak Italian, I just looked it up on the web! (smart me!) okay so review please! i love to hear from you guys!**

**  
v**

**click **

**the **

**v **

**review  
**

**button **

**v**

**and **

**review **

**v**

**please**

**thanks**

**v **


	15. Scene 15 Her Protector I'll Be

Chapter 15: Her Protector; I'll Be. On This Starry Night

Abel yawned.

"Tired?" Esther, who sat next to him, asked.

He nodded his head lightly and answered, "Kind of, but I'm really just bored. Tres when will arrive at the next station?" He looked over at Tres and Ion who sat across from them.

They were on a train that was headed to Barcelona. Right now, their train was nearing the city Nice, where they would spend the night.

"We should arrive in Nice in 5.3 hours." Tres robotically answered.

"Eh? Still so long!" Abel sighed as he sunk into his seat.

"Abel, we only came on the train 2 hours ago." Esther said annoyed.

He sat up straight again. He didn't want to make Esther, or any of them, mad, and so he sighed again in defeat.

"Abel, would you settle down? You were never this restless when we would travel." Ion remarked.

"Err, well, last night I had trouble sleeping." Abel said nervously.

"You were hungry, again. Weren't you?" Ion asked as he eyed Abel's nervousness.

"Um, actually no." He said as he let out a faint giggle. "I was thinking about some things that had happened earlier."

Esther snapped her head toward him. _"Abel! Don't tell me you couldn't sleep because of me! Because of my selfishness asking you to kiss me… we've both suffered. My heart aches and you're as tired as ever."_ She thought as she looked back down at the floor and her shoes.

* * *

Esther looked up at the grand building. _"This place looks like a castle," _she thought,_ "yet we're staying here?"_

They had arrived at an inn that looked more like a hotel and it was night. They walked through a revolving door and into a grand lobby.

There was a desk in the back and it was centered perfectly. Next the desk there was a wide, tall staircase leading upstairs. All the floors were white marble and crimson red rugs lead to different entrances and exits, such as the elevator, the downstairs rooms, up the stairs and upstairs rooms, and the revolving door. To their right was a fancy coffee table surrounded by royally designed chairs and couches as well as a fireplace. On their left were a grand piano and a built-in wall fish tank.

"Abel, are you sure this is––" Esther started as turned to Abel, but stopped when she saw him by standing up-close to the fish tank. "Look, Esther! Fish!" He exclaimed as he pointed to a black one that swam by.

She sighed as she rolled her eyes. She looked at Tres and asked, "Tres, are you sure this is the right place?"

"Positive. Sister Esther. This is the inn Lady Catherine ordered us to go to." He answered blankly as he stared at not in particular.

"All right." She sighed once again.

"Bonsouir, welcome to Grace's Inn! I take it you four are friends of Catherine?" A woman said as she walked down the grand, marble staircase. Everyone, even Abel who was still fascinated by the fish, looked up at her. She was fairly tall and tanned. She had jet-black hair that was pulled back into a bun with the front strands hanging out. Her eyes were deep blue that matched her simple blue dress.

"Yes, we are." Esther said cheerfully. "I'm Esther Blanchett. This is Father Tres, Ion, and," She point to the two of them and went to introduce Abel, but he introduced himself.

"And I'm Father Abel Nightroad." He said as he walked over to Esther, Tres, and Ion.

"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Grace Lacroix. I am the owner of this inn." She said as she walked up to them. "Come. I'll show you to your rooms." She turned and walked back up the stairs. They followed behind.

"Here's your room Sister Esther and Father Nightroad." Grace told them as she opened a door marked '#5' in gold.

"Thanks Grace." Esther said with a fake smile. _"How did I end up with Abel? Again? It must be Lady Catherine's doing again!" _She thought and mentally pouted.

"We have continental breakfast in the morning from six to ten and room service is from six in the morning until midnight." Grace continued as she watched them walk into the room. "If you need anything, just ask!" She told them with a cheerful smile.

"Thank you, Miss Grace." Abel said before she shut the door. They looked at the room. It was a small, cozy room with a couch, _two_ beds, a nightstand with a lamp on it in between the beds, a glass door next to the beds that led to a small balcony, and a door next to them that was to the bathroom.

"_That's good. We have two beds."_ Esther thought as she watched Abel walk over to the bed on the left and sat on the end of it. He sighed. She walked slowly over to the glass door and opened it slightly to let the night air in. The night breeze rustled her hair that was already pulled out of her wimple.

Abel stared at her. _"Beautiful…her hair, her face,"_ he thought as he looked at her face,_ her…body."_ He looked at her body_. "Skinny, yet not too skinny; Curvy, yet not over curvy." _He thought. _"I wonder what she looks like without the clothes."_ After a second, he realized what he thought and mentally slapped himself.

"Abel?" Esther called as she closed the glass door and turned to him.

"Hmm?" He said as he looked into her sapphire orbs.

"How about we get something to eat? Maybe go to that café we saw on the way here?" She asked with her finger pressed against her chin in a thoughtful manor.

He stood up and stretched a bit as he said, "Sure. I'm starved."

* * *

They walked out through the revolving doors of the inn and into the night. Lampposts along the sidewalks dimly lit their way as they walked by shops. Esther led the way as Abel followed. 

"Is it okay that we left Ion there?" He asked.

"Of coarse it's okay. He said he didn't want to come." She answered.

"But didn't you want him to come?" He curiously asked.

She stopped and turned to him. He stopped as well. "Yes and no." She said.

"Why?" He asked. He was really being Mr. 20-questions today.

"Because!" She snapped. She turned back and started walking again.

"Because why?" He asked and followed her once again.

"Just because!" She yelled back. _"Because I want to spent the night with…you and only you."_ She thought.

Abel shut-upped after that. A car drove passed them they walked.

Esther stopped at a shop. It was dark green and CASSY'S was in big, fancy, white letters on the widow. She looked at the big, glass window.

Abel stopped and confusingly looked at Esther, then at the window. There on display was a teddy bear. It was crimson red like Esther's hair and it wore a little, black bow around its neck. _"Does she want it?"_ He thought and didn't notice that she had begun to walk again. He looked back a where she used to stand and noticed that she was ten feet down the sidewalk. He ran and caught up with her.

After a few minutes of walking, she stopped again at a white building with huge, glass windows and tables and chairs set up outside. She walked inside and he followed.

A waitress seated them at a table with two seats. They sat there and looked at their menus. They spoke nothing as they waited for the waitress to come back to take their orders.

The waitress came up to them and took their orders. She smiled and nodded as she took the menus back before she left them.

"So…uh…Abel when is your birthday?" Esther asked to break the silent between them.

"December 29." He answered.

"Really! It's so close to Christmas!" She said as she smiled and cocked her head slightly.

"Yes, it is. So, when's yours?" He asked.

"November 13." She simply replied.

"Oh." He looked at the floor nervously. _"What should I say?"_ He wondered silently.

The waitress came back with their cups of tea. She set them down next to them and left again with a cheerful smile.

Abel immediately grabbed the sugar bowl and began to fill his small cup of tea with thirteen spoonfuls of sugar.

Esther giggled.

He looked at her curiously. "What's so funny?" He asked innocently.

"I can' t believe you put thirteen spoonfuls of sugar into your tea." She said with a smile and a faint giggle.

"Yeah? Well, it's good. You should try it." He said simply and took a sip of his tea.

"No thank you. I couldn't handle all that sugar. Really, how do you do it, Abel?" She asked. She was so curious about everything from the sugar to his nanomachines to his crusnik form. She wanted to know everything detail of Abel; about his frights, his laughter; his special someone. _"I wonder. Who is in Abel's heart?"_

"I guess you just get used to it." He said as he set his cup down.

Silence struck the two again. Both of them felt shy and awkward with each other for once. Finally after several minutes, Esther spoke up.

"Abel? Was your hair always silver or did you die it?" She asked.

He looked at her to check if she was serious and she was. He shook his head lightly and said, "I was born with it."

"Really? Well, it's very nice and pretty." She looked down at her cup to hide the blush that crept along her cheeks. He smiled fully. However, she continued in saying, "I wish I had hair like that. Mine is red and boring. And short! I love long hair; I don't know why I had it cut short." She would have continued, but Abel cut it.

"Esther, your hair is beautiful! Either short or long, it doesn't matter." He said practically jumping out of his seat and cross the table. She cocked her head and looked at him in way that made him blush madly. He sat back and hid his blush by taking another sip of his tea.

Inside herself, Esther laughed at this.

They had eaten dinner without a word to each other. Now they were on their way back to the hotel. They walked side-by-side, Abel closer to the road. They walked next to Cassy's again and she stopped and looked at the teddy bear again. Abel stopped and looked at her. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the bear. Abel sighed and stuck his hand casually into his pocket. _"I have ten euro. I think that'll be enough."_ He walked pass her and said, "Wait here."

She looked at him as he walked into the shop. She looked at him through the window. He walked up to the kind, old man at the counter. The old man smiled and nodded to whatever Abel was talking to him about. She walked over to the door. She reached for the door handle, but was hesitant to grab it.

Suddenly, the door opened up. Esther looked up. There was Abel, smiling goofily as he held up a small, brown, paper bag.

"Abel, you didn't…" she started. He stopped her,

"Oh, Esther just take it. You wanted it for Tabitha; didn't you?"

She hesitantly reached and took it as she said, "Yes, I did. But Abel you didn't have to."

"Well, now it can be a gift from both of us." He simply said as he began to walk down the sidewalk again. "Come. Let's get going, shall we?"

"Right. Thank you, Abel." She said sweetly and followed him.

* * *

Ion stood at the top of the steps in the inn. He was alone. _"Just where on earth are they?"_ He thought as he tapped his foot on the marble floor and it echoed throughout the lobby. 

Someone suddenly walked through the revolving doors. However, it wasn't Abel and Esther. It was someone dressed in a long flowing, black cape. He had semi-long blue-black hair and piercing, narrow, black eyes. He shot a glare at him.

Ion's red eyes grew wide. _"R-Radu!" _He took action. He jumped from the top of stairs and flew at Radu as he screamed, "Radu!!!" Ion neared him, his claws ready to pierce Radu's pale flesh. However Ion didn't pierce him. Instead, Radu grabbed his arm as he drew out a dagger and stabbed it deep in Ion's chest.

Ion spat blood from his mouth as he started to become limp out top of Radu. "Silver," he whispered weakly, "it burns…Radu. Radu…why? Why did you…betray me? …Why did you betray…the Empire?" Breath left Ion as he closed his eyes.

"Forgive me…Tovaish." Was all Radu said as he place the dead Methuselah on the blood stained, white marble and fled into the night. (A/N Sorry if I spelled Tovaish wrong! I can't spell at all! So if it's wrong correct me please!)

* * *

Esther playfully pushed Abel over the revolving door. "Shut-up, Abel!" She giggled. He bowed gentleman-like and said, "Ladies first, Esther." 

"Why thank you, Abel." She said as she curtsied slightly and walked through the revolving doors as Abel followed behind. Esther screamed bloody murder as she raised her hands to her eyes as she turned and ran into Abel's chest.

Abel's goofy expression left his face and was replaced with sorrow and devastation as they saw Ion covered in blood, as he lay dead on the floor.

Grace who had heard Esther's scream came running down the stairs. "What's wrong?!" She asked; then looked down at Ion's bloody body. She screamed as Tres rushed into the scene with his everlasting emotionless face.

"Father Nightroad, what has happened?" He asked as he joined Abel and Esther next to the door.

"Ion has been assassinated. By who; I don't know." He answered.

"Affirmative." Tres said and began to inspect the body with his computer screen. "Cause of death: one stab in the heart by a silver dagger. Time of death: 9: 56 pm, death was sudden; almost insist. Killer: fingerprints on dagger belong to Radu Barvon."

"I see." Abel said as he looked as the sobbing Esther in his arms. "Thank you, Tres." He led Esther to the stairs with an arm around her shoulder. "Now, if you excuse us. I'm going to take Esther to her room so that she could calm down."

Grace watched them as they made their way up the stairs and disappeared around the corner.

Abel continued to lead Esther to their room. He stopped at their door and opened it up. He led her inside and shut it with his foot. He didn't even bothered to turned the lights on. Still, he continued to lead her to his bed and sat down. She dropped the paper bag on the floor and the teddy bear fell out slightly as he hugged her tenderly and buried his face in her crimson-red hair.

Lightning flashed outside and it lit up the room for a brief moment. Thunder followed soon after it.

"Abel,' she sobbed, "Abel, I'm scared! Ion died, Abel! He died! I don't want anyone also to die! I want all of the killing to stop!! Make it stop, Abel! Abel!" She hiccupped continuously as she sobbed and spoke.

Abel kissed her hair and rocked her slightly as he held on dearly to her. "I'll protect you, Esther. Don't worry. I can't stop all the killing, but I'll try to stop most of it. Please, calm down. Don't cry. I'm sorry that you lose him, but crying can't bring back the dead. I'm sorry." Thunder and lightning followed his voice.

However, she still continued to cry. "Abel…Abel…Abel." She hiccupped.

He looked at her as she sobbed in his arms as he loosed his grip. Lightning flashed and lit the room again. He gripped her tighter again as the thunder rolled and rain timed against the roof and glass windows, and he began to sing.

"_The strands in your eyes,_

_that color them wonderful._

_Stop me,_

_and steal my breath._

_Sapphires from mountains,_

_thrust towards the sky,_

_Never revealing their depth._

_Tell me that we belong together,_

_Dress it up, _

_with the trappings of love._

_I'll be captivated, _

_I'll hang from your lips._

_Instead of the gallows, _

_of heartache, _

_that hang from above._

_I'll be your cryin' shoulder;_

_I'll be with the trappings of love._

_I'll be your own protector,_

_I'll be the greatest man of your life._

_Rain falls,_

_angry on the tin roof,_

_As we lie awake in my bed._

_You're my survival,_

_you're my living proof._

_My love is alive,_

_and not dead._

_Tell me that we belong together,_

_Dress it up, _

_with the trappings of love._

_I'll be captivated, _

_I'll hang from your lips._

_Instead of the gallows, _

_of heartache,_

_that hang from above._

_I'll be your cryin' shoulder;_

_I'll be with the trappings of love._

_I'll be your own protector,_

_I'll be the greatest man of your life…."_

Esther looked up at him. Her nose and cheeks, along with the rims of her eyes, were red. Her cheeks were stained with tears. "Abel." She whispered, her voice, still shaky.

"Yes?" He asked as he looked back down at her and looked into her teary eyes. His voice, along with his eyes, was gentle and full of compassion.

She closed her eyes as she wrapped her arms around his neck; she moved her face closer to his and he, slower than her, move his toward hers. Their lips met. Fireworks seemed to run throughout their bodies. Passion. Love. Joy. Want. Need. All their desires seemed to be fulfilled. Lightning flashed and lit the room again. Thunder sounded and rain continued to poured against the roof and glass window, leaving droplets of water cling to the glass and slowly slide down it.

They parted and breathed in deeply for some much need air. They looked into each other's eyes filled with love and joy. They kissed again and after a minute broke it. Abel hugged her dearly and rested the side of his head on top of her head.

"Abel," she whispered.

"Yes?" He answered. Curiosity filled his voice.

"I love you, Abel." She said as tears flowed from her eyes once again. "So much." She added.

He smiled. One filled with love, tenderness; happiness. "And I, you."

* * *

**sorry guys… . i just had to kill Ion. I know heartless me TT-TT, but I CANT WRITE ION'S PART! OxO i don't know, but i cannot fingure his character out. okay, he's blunt most of the time and hated the terrans and can be really nice but his character…i don't know what to write for his part. anyway, his death help abel and esther brought them closer together! yay! lovey dovey!!**

** oh, and next week im going to be at camp soooo i cant write a thing from Monday at like 3 pm to saturday at like 12 pm so icant really update till next saturday or in two weeks.**

**HaPpY 4Th 0F jUlY!!!!!**

**ohh yeah! the song abel sung was a tweaked version I wrote of _I'll Be_ by Edwin McCain. It wasn't the whole song though...  
**


	16. Scene 16 …the greatest of these is love

**yay! im back! okay i have been back for like 5 days but i had a bit of writers block for this story...hehe! but here's the next chapter and i should have the next chapter up soon...i dont really know when, but i'll try to get it up a.s.a.p.!!! here's what you've been watching for…!!!!!**

* * *

Chapter 16: _"…the greatest of these is love."_

Esther opened her eyes slightly and quickly closed them again.

Sunlight streamed through the glass window and into the room and that was what blinded Esther. She opened her eyes again and adjusted to the light. She yawned deeply and looked around her. She was in the arms of someone and in bed. She looked up slightly and saw Abel, fast asleep with his head rested on the stack of pillows. His glasses, however, were not on his face, but they were on the nightstand next to them. She smiled sweetly as she look up at him.

"_I told him."_ She thought. _"I told him that I loved him. And he told me that he loves me back."_ She placed her index and middle finger on her lips and looked down again. _"He kissed me back. He loves me!"_

"Esther," someone softly murmured. It was Abel.

Esther looked back over at Abel. His eyes were still closed; his mouth parted slightly and his was breathing smoothly. _"Abel…." _She thought as she admired him. _"I better get up and shower." _She moved a bit to get up out of bed. However, he wrapped his arms tighter around her. She looked over at his head again.

He was looking down at her, one eye opened with a playful smile across his lips. He pulled her closer, until she was against his crest. He bent his head onto the crook of her neck and kissed it. He whispered, "You're not going anywhere, my star of hope." He kissed her left ear lightly. Then rested his chin on the top of her head.

With each kiss, she shivered. Even though his cold lips were on her skin, warmth rang without her body. She wrapped her hands around his arms that were around her stomach. She leaned her head against him as he kissed the crook of her neck again. "Abel." She whispered lovingly.

"Yes, dearest?" He answered as he caressed her hair with his cheek.

"We should go get breakfast and help everyone with…with…with Ion." She whispered. She could feel the tears that were started to form in her eyes.

Abel smelled the tears, and he said, "Don't cry."

"I know, but I just can help it. He was our friend. I feel horrible that I wasn't there to help him. I'm useless." She told him. She shook and hiccupped here and there. Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. She cupped her hand over her mouth and leaned closer into him. He cuddled her and kissed the top of her head.

"No, Esther. You are not useless. You took care of him, like a mother. You still take care of all of us: Tabitha, Tres, and even silly, old me!" He said, laughing lightly at the end. He kissed her cheek. "I love you, Esther and that was one of the reasons why I do."

She looked up at him. She blinked a few tears from her red, puffy eyes as she asked, "Really, you mean it?"

"Yes, I do." He said. Then he made his usual childish face. "Do I really seem that unreliable?" He asked, his voice getting a little louder from his whisper and more unserious.

"Yes, Abel." She said as laughter rang throughout her voice. "You are _unreliable_." She joked with a big smile, which dance across her lips, as she looked back up at him.

A smile of annoyance spread across his lips. He unwrapped his arms around her and began tickling her underneath her armpits. She squirmed and laughed. "Abel! Abel…Please! Stop! Abel," she said in between laughs. But he still continued to tickle her.

"Oh, so I am unreliable? Huh?" He asked as she laughed and rolled back and forth on top of him.

"All right! All right! You're not unreliable!!" She said again in between laughs.

He stopped and scooped her up in his long arms. "Good. Now we can go back to cuddling." He said as he placed his chin once again on her head.

She leaned back on him and smiled. She looked at the clock on the wall. It read: "9:05am"

"Abel," she started, "do you want to go to breakfast now?" She looked up at him. A small smile still held a place on his lips.

"Oh, but then I couldn't keep cuddling you like this." He tried to persuade. It didn't work for his stomach gave out a large growl.

"Come on, Abel. I know you're hungry." She said with a small giggle. He gave a pouting face, but soon it change into a smile. They both stood up and he grabbed his glasses. She slipped on her shoes and quickly fixed her hair, while Abel slipped his glasses on and his shoes as well.

"Ready?" He asked as he stood next to the door. She nodded as he opened it and they both walked out together as he shut the door closed behind them.

The crimson-red teddy bear sat alone on Esther's still made bed, along with an opened Bible. It was turned to 1 Corinthians 13.

_1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal._

_2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity (love), I am nothing._

_3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity (love), it profiteth me nothing._

_4Charity (love) suffereth long, and is kind; charity (love) envieth not; charity (love) vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,_

_5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;_

_6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;_

_7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things._

_8Charity (love) never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away._

_9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part._

_10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away._

_11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things._

_12For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known._

_13And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love), these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love)._

* * *

Abel and Esther walked into a room. Breakfast foods were spread out across a long table: bagels, Danishes, eggs, ham, toast, fruit, and many others. Pitchers of orange and grape juice along with a pitcher of water and a pot of hot tea were set next to the food. 

Abel's eyes glistened and his mouth watered at the sight of the glamorous feast. He bounded up an end of the table were the plates were, picked one up, and began to fill it with food. Esther could only smiled and laugh slightly as she joined Abel over at the table.

"Looks like the two love birds are up!" An annoying, familiar voice said.

Abel and Esther looked up. There was Father Leon sitting across the room at a table with a plate of his own.

"Father Leon?!" They both exclaimed in unison.

"Yeah?" He said with his normal annoyed look.

"Why are you here?" Abel asked. "I mean, what brings you here, Father Leon?" He added with a chuckle as he and Esther walked over to Leon and his table with their plates of food.

"Well, Father Four-eyes, since the little mishap with our Methuselah-friend, Ion. Catherine asked me to help you guys out." He explained with a bit of sheepish sympathy. Abel and Esther sat down across from Father Leon. They both wore a sad face in memory of Ion and slowly began to eat their food.

Suddenly, Grace walked into the room with a wooden crate filled with colored paper. Esther, who had eaten half of her food and was already full, immediately stood up and walked over to Grace to help her. Grace gladly let her.

Leon took a sip of his coffee, and then set it back down. He leaned over to Abel, who sat on his right, and whispered, "So, were you and Miss Pretty-Red Locks heating it up last night?" His mischievous tone flowed from his mouth and showed on his face.

Abel, who was drinking his hot tea with 13 spoonfuls of sugar at the time, sprayed it out of his mouth. He coughed and looked at Father Leon. "Father Leon! We're not like that!" He exclaimed. "We're just friends." He added sheepishly, a lie.

Leon laughed hard. He stopped and said, "Okay so you and Esther aren't 'heating it up'. But then why would you and her cuddle together while you two were sleeping together in bed?"

"I was only comforting her! She was so sad and scared." He exclaimed in his defense. He paused; then spoke again, "Wait a second! How did you know that?"

"Miss Grace asked me to check on you two since it was eight o'clock and you weren't down for breakfast yet." Leon explained snobbishly.

* * *

Esther pulled out a stack of white plates out from the wooden crate and placed them at the end of the breakfast table. She sighed slightly. 

"So, Sister Esther," Grace began as she placed another stack of plates next to Esther's stack, "how long have you and Father Nightroad known each other?"

"Um… about 4 years." She replied softly.

"How did you meet him?"

"Um, well, I used to work for a church in Istavan and the bishop there, Bishop Laura, who was like my mother, was killed. I set off, with my partner Dietrich, to kill the people behind her murder. I killed one of the men partly responsible the night before Abel came to take her place. I felt horrible after killing Colonel Radcon and the next night I met Abel at the Count over Istavan, Gyula's house.

We talked about a lot of things. Things like how hungry he was and how the bishop was like a mother to me. Then at night Dietrich and I planned to kill Gyula. We talked over our plan in the chapel and some how Abel over hear us."

A tear came to Esther's eye, but she continued, "He came up to us and said to me, 'I don't understand. Esther? Did you kill someone?' he asked me. His face was full of deviation. I felt even more horrible.

" 'Esther, this is wrong! I know how it feels to lose loved ones. Lost is never easy. I also know what it's like to want justice for those who have been taken from us. However, vengeance is nothing but an endless cycle! All it creates is more pain and suffering! Think about the loved ones you have lost. How would they feel about your coarse of actions? Wouldn't they rather you light a candle instead of curse the darkness?' He told us.

"I knew he was right, but Dietrich wouldn't listen. He just ran for the door, but when he opened it, Gyula's army was there and shot him. I ran after him and saw him dead at my feet. I wanted to kill everyone there at the moment, because they had killed my one and only trustworthy friend. I reached for Dietrich's gun and aimed for one of the soldiers; I went to fire, but I couldn't. Abel had clasped his hand over mine and said, 'Stop, Esther!'

"I cried. The only that I could do was cry. One of the generals came up to me an arrested me for my crime of killing Colonel Radcon. I let them take me, however, Abel did something incredible. He told the soldiers if they were going to arrest me, they should arrest him too. I asked him why and told me, 'You have to ask? Really? Well… it's because I am your friend.' I cried more. His words had touched my heart, but then it fell back into pieces as I watched the soldiers burn down the church and all my memories of Bishop Laura.

"I found out later that Dietrich was alive and that he tricked and used me to destroy all of Istavan, just like he tricked Gyula into killing Bishop Laura and used a special satellite that was Gyula's deceased wife's to destroy Istavan. Dietrich was part of a secret order who I shouldn't be talking about. In the end Abel and I stopped the satellite and Dietrich and Gyula took his own life and was truly sorry that he took Bishop Laura away from me. I forgave him and soon Abel and I left Istavan and went to Rome."

Grace looked at Esther with compassion. "It seems you guys went though a lot." She said. "I have one more question. Was falling for him before or after you went to Rome that time?"

"Grace!" Esther exclaimed and turned as red as a tomato. "How did you get that idea?!"

"It's simple, really." Grace said slyly. She looked at Esther and lightened up her expression. "It's written all over your face." She smiled at her.

"Really?" Esther asked disbelievingly. Grace nodded.

"So when did you fall for him?" Grace asked excitedly.

"Um… the first moment I talked to him and went he answered me, 'I am very please to make your acquaintance, Sister Esther.' However, I guess I didn't realize my feelings till after we road the train to Rome." She smiled.

"I'm glad that you and Abel are happy, and I'm sorry for your lost of friends." Grace said.

"Thank you." Esther said with a sad smile as a tear slid down her cheek.

* * *

Esther smiled back at Grace. "Make sure that gift gets to Lady Catherine for Tabitha!" She said. 

All of them were in the lobby. Abel, Esther, Grace, Tres, and Leon. They all were standing by the revolving doors.

"Of coarse, Sister Esther! I'll let Catherine get this as soon as possible!" Grace said as she held up a brown paper bag. Inside was, of coarse, the red bear for Tabitha.

Abel put a hand on Esther's shoulder, signfying that it was time to go. Esther looked up at him and nodded.

"Bye, Grace! Thank you for everything!" Esther called and turned to leave with Abel.

"Your Welcome! Bye!" Grace waved and watched as Esther, Abel, Leon, and Tres left the inn as she smiled a bug, warm smile.

* * *

Tabitha grabbed a pink flower and plucked it from the ground with a little trouble. She smelled it; content with its beauty and scent, she skipped over to the outside hallways of the church. She skipped and hummed a happy melody as she still held the flower close to her nose. 

Suddenly, Professor William Walter Wordsworth came walking down the outside hallways to meet her. "Tabitha!" He called. In his right hand he held a certain brown paper bag.

Tabitha raced up to him to give him a big hug. He bent over and met her in his warm embrace. She backed up and said after she eyed the paper bag, "Professor? What's this bag? What's in it? Is it a present for me? Is it from Father Abel and Sister Esther?" She looked at him with the most excited expression on her face.

"Hold on, Tabitha." He laughed. "Yes, it is from Father Abel and Sister Esther, but there's a letter with it. Would you like me to read it to you?" He asked sweetly.

Tabitha wildly nodded her head. "Yes! Oh please!"

He laughed again; then said, "Let's go to the garden and sit down, shall we?"

She nodded again and he took her hand and led her back to the garden.

At the garden, Tabitha sat inside the small, white gazebo and William sat next to her. He handed the happy child her present and she took and opened it with glee. She took out the small, crimson-red teddy bear with the black ribbon and awed. "Its fur is the same color as Sister Esther's hair!" She exclaimed and examined more and saw the black ribbon. "It has a black ribbon like Father Abel!" She exclaimed once again.

He smiled down at her at her. "It sure does. Shall we read the letter now?" He asked. She nodded and looked up at him. He placed a finger at the top and slipped it under the flap. He gently glided his finger under it and broke open the flap. He took out the yellowish-white paper, unfolded it, and began to read, "To our dearest Tabitha, …"

"_To our dearest Tabitha,_

_We hope that you love your stuffed bear and you are enjoying your home at the Vatican. We're sure that they are taking good care of you, because we trust them; so we hope that you will too._

_We are happy to say that you are like a daughter to us and we hope to have a daughter of our own like you one-day! We love you. Be good._

_Love forever,"_

"… Abel Nightroad and Esther Blanchett." He closed

Tabitha stood up. "Father Abel and Sister Esther love me!" She exclaimed happily as she spun herself and the bear around. She stopped and looked at William. "Thank you, Profezzer!" She said and raced off into the gardens to play with her new stuffed bear.

He dumbfoundingly watched her go and nodded. He looked back down at the let and reread out loud, "…'we hope to have a daughter of our own like you one-day'…" He paused and looked up from the letter. "Well, I'll be." He chuckled. "Lady Catherine will be happy to hear this." With that, he refolded the letter, stuck it into the pocket in the inside of his cloak, stood up, and left to the gazebo to go to Lady Catherine's office.

* * *


	17. Scene 17 The Reason Is You

hey eveyone! i updated! yay! sorry i havent updated in like a month! i was a camp for like 3 weeks and only camp home on the weekends so that i could rest and pack again to go back to camp and see my friends like katie and briitany (love ya!) well i met some cool friends at camp too like vassillisa! yay she's gonna did an editor for me and im gonna have a manga out called Reach to the Sky! yay! thanx Vassillisa1 love ya! (look i updated Vass. so u dont have to stangle me now lol :)) well here's what u've been waiting for!!:

* * *

Chapter 17: The Reason Is You

They arrived in Barcelona.

The scenery was beautiful. Beautiful buildings poked up into the cerulean-blue sky; tall, strong trees grew in a forest behind them. The salty air of the ocean filled their (except for Tres) noses; the sound of waves crashing, birds cawing, and people filled streets entered their ears. It was all breathe taking.

Leon and Tres walked through the streets of Barcelona, as Abel and Esther followed behind, in search for their Inn where they would stay. People called out in the streets for anyone to buy things and food at outdoor shops on the streets as they pass by. Abel and Esther would simply smile at them; while Tres and Leon would walk pass them with a straight face.

Leon and Tres stopped at a building with a big, wooden sign that had the words DE LA MADRID'S Subió Posada de Flor in black letters. Leon walked through the dark green, wooden door and they followed him inside.

The inn's lobby was simple and small yet beautiful and fancy. Cream-colored tile floors, fancily designed rugs underneath fancy furniture, gorgeous sculptures and paintings, a simple fireplace, and a small desk were a tall man with sleek, jet-black hair sat.

The man stood up at the sight of them. "Hola, Senors and Senora! Welcome to De La Madrid's inn. I am the owner Nathaniel De La Madrid. How many I help you?" He said and had bowed when had said his name.

"Mr. Madrid, I'm sure that you know a Miss Catherine Sforza, right?" Leon said as he leaned against the desk.

"Ci. I do." He said and smiled at her name.

"Good!" Abel spoke up with the clap of his hands. "You see, Mr. Madrid, we are her friends, my name is Abel Nightroad," Abel bowed slightly at his name, "this is Sister Esther," he pointed his hand at her and she curtsied slightly, "this is Father Tres," he pointed at Tres and Tres just stared blankly at all of them, "and this is," he went to introduce Leon but Leon introduced himself.

"I am Leon Garcia De Asturias." He said annoyed.

Mr. Madrid nodded. "Ci! Ci! Yes, you are Catherine's friends. The senors Abel, Leon, and Tres along with the beautiful senora Esther. Ci, ci!" He turned, grabbed two sets of keys off the wall, and said, "Follow me to your rooms."

* * *

Abel looked out into the blood red sun as it began to set over the ocean. He was sitting like a ball with his knees scrunched up to in chest, chin rested upon his knees, and long arms wrapped around his legs to keep them in place as he sat on the sandy beach. A light breeze rustled his locks of loose silver hair as he sighed. 

Esther, who was sitting next to him, looked over at him. "What's wrong, Abel?" She asked sweetly with a questionly look on her face.

He shook his head lightly with out a word as he continued to stare sadly into the sunset.

She pouted. _"Abel, something must be wrong! Don't deny it!"_ She silently scolded. She stood up and walked behind him. She plopped herself down and reached up to grab his black ribbon tired up in his silver hair.

He felt her touch his ponytail. He looked back at her slightly. "What are you doing?" He asked. She just smiled down at him without a single word. He rolled his eyes and looked back at the ocean where the sunset was. He closed his eyes as he felt the pleasure of her fingertips playing with his ponytail and as warmth rang throughout his body.

Suddenly, his silver hair fell around his face. He opened his eyes and looked back where Esther was. She was running quickly toward a sand dune. She stopped at it and turned around. She wore a teasing smile as she waved in the air his black ribbon.

He stood up and began to walk over to her. "Esther, please may I have my ribbon back?"

She shook her head.

"Please!" He called out to her, as he was more than half way over to her.

She waved the ribbon in the air as she yelled out to him, "You have to catch me first!"

He smiled annoyingly. He picked up his pace and soon was sprinting toward her.

"Eekk!" She screamed and ran around the sand dune. She ran as face as she could down the beach until she got to another sand dune that was fairly small. She ran around to one side as he followed behind her and stood on the other side.

He looked into her eyes from the other side of the dune and a smile was across both of their faces. He moved to the right to run around the right side and she began to move to the left. He changed to the left and she changed to the right. They stopped and looked at each other again. He began to run to the right again and she ran to the left, but he ran up the dune and chased her again. She saw this and ran away from the dune as he slid down it.

She screamed playfully as she ran. He picked up more speed and came closer to her. He reached and scooped her up in his arms. She screamed again as he spun her around. He laughed at her screaming as they fell onto the sand together.

They looked at each other and laughed, as they lay tangled together in the soft sand.

"May I have my ribbon back now? I caught you, didn't I?" He asked as he looked into her sapphire orbs. She shook her head and he stuck out his lower lip. "Why not?" He asked.

"Not until you give me a kiss." She said with a big smile.

He smiled as well. "Gladly." He said as moved on top of her. Soon the space between them closed as he pressed his lips on top of hers. They kissed with passion. His silver hair fell around her neck as he held her head with his right hand. Soon they had to break for air. They looked into eyes deeply. "May I have it back now?" He asked.

"Is that why you kissed me?" She asked slightly offended.

He bent down closer and placed a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Yes, and because I love you." He told her as he stared into her eyes. He placed a small and quick kiss on her lips.

"Abel." She whispered with a smile. They both sat up. Esther moved behind him and pulled his silver hair back with her fingers. She brought it up into a high ponytail and tied it up with the ribbon. She rested her chin on his right shoulder as she wrapped her arms around his torso. " There. Is that better?" She asked.

"Yes. Thank you." He said as he placed his gloved hands on top of hers––which was wrapped around his torso.

They both stared back at the blood-red sun that was beginning to meet the ocean line.

"Abel." Esther spoke up after a long moment of silence.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Why did you seem so sad when we came here?" She asked.

He didn't answer and his smile faded. He sighed. "Esther. I as just thinking about…"

Esther finished for him, "…about…about Noelle?"

"Yes, about Noelle. I just thought that if maybe I excepted her feelings for that night only, maybe she wouldn't have died." He explained.

Esther let go of him. Sadness swept over her as bitterness formed in her heart. He turned to her and saw the sadness. His heart grieved for her. "Esther, that wasn't what I meant. I meant that––"

"How did you mean it then?!" She snapped. "I thought that you always loved me." She whispered as tears formed in her eyes.

"Esther." He called. "Esther, I did. I loved you ever since I saw you. I knew that there was something special in you. I knew that from the very beginning and I knew that when I would talk you. You bewitched me, Esther. You stole my heart away. And I always want you to have it, even if I leave this earth before you."

Those words. Every single word touched her heart and she just couldn't stop crying. She latched herself onto him. "Abel!" She cried.

He wrapped her up into a tight embrace. "Esther, I'm sorry for everything I put you through. I thought that you deserved better than me, a human to love and take care of you. Not me: a human abomination."

"Abel, you are not an human abomination! You are an angel. My beautiful black-winged angel!" She told him as tears still flowed down her cheeks as she buried her face into his torso.

He lowered his head and softly sang in her ear:

"_I'm not perfect person_

_There're many things I wished I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you._

_And so I have say before I go,_

_That I just want you to know:_

_I found a reason me_

_To change, who I used to be,_

_A reason to start over new._

_And the reason is you._

_I'm sorry that I hurt you_

_It's something that I must live with everyday._

_And all the pain I put you through_

_I wish that I could take it all away_

_And be the one would wipe away your tears."_

He kissed away each tear on her face; then continued,

"_That's why I need you to hear:_

_I found a reason for me_

_To change, who I used to me,_

_A reason to start over new,_

_And the reason is you._

_I'm not perfect person_

_There're many things I wished I didn't do_

_But I continue learning_

_I never meant to do those things to you._

_And so I have say before I go,_

_That I just want you to know:_

_I found a reason me_

_To change, who I used to be,_

_A reason to start over new._

_And the reason is you._

_I found a reason to show_

_A side of me you didn't know_

_A reason for that I do_

_And the reason is you."_

Abel looked down into her puffy sapphire eyes. She sniffled; then she hugged him tighter. "Abel! I love you!"

He chuckled and hugged her back as he said, "I love you too."

The sun had set and it was dark.

A whistling sound was heard and soon, a giant boom followed with crackling.

They turned and heard another boom as a beautiful, great big, red firework blasted through the sky. "Oh, wow." Esther gasped as another blue firework explored and reflected off her eyes. " They must me having a festival or celebration."

Abel nodded as he leaned his check on the top of her head that was leaning on his right shoulder.

A yellow one explored and a green one next to it as a red one explored as well. Someone leaned against an iron fence and whistled at the site of the fireworks and Abel and Esther. "Take a look at that. And he told me nothing was going on between them." Leon said as he stopped leaning against the fence. "Come on, let's leave them alone." He said to Tres, who was standing across from him.

"Affirmative." Tres said followed behind.

* * *

Later, Abel leaned against the railing of the balcony to his and Esther's room. He looked out over the night sky and the brightly lit city around him. "Beautiful, isn't it?" A female voice came from behind him. He turned at saw Esther leaning against the doorway to the balcony. He nodded sweetly and gestured her to come over to him. She smiled and obeyed. When she reached the railing, he wrapped his arms around her and captured her in a warm hug; she wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back. 

"Esther," started Abel.

She looked up at him. "What?"

"Esther, I just want you to know that," he paused.

"What is it Abel?" She asked worriedly.

"Never mind." He sighed and looked back at the city.

She frowned and looked back over at the city as well. Suddenly, a big gust of wind blew pass them. Esther shivered greatly at this and sneezed.

He smiled gently down at her. "Let's go inside, shall we?" She nodded and they both went inside. Abel shut the door to the balcony behind them as he watched Esther pull back the blankets to the bed in their room and crawl on top of it. She patted the empty space in the king sized bed. He smiled and joined her in the bed. She smiled and pulled the covers over herself and he did as well. "Good night, Abel." She whispered.

"Good night." He said and he rolled over toward her and kissed her cheek. "Sweet dreams." He whispered in her ear. She smiled at the warmth of his breath. He rolled back over and fall asleep. She closed her eyes as well and drifted off to asleep.

* * *

Someone dipped the end of a quill in a bottle of ink and brought the quill to a piece of paper to sign, in fancy script letters, his name: Abel Nightroad. Abel set the quill on the desk as he sadly looked at the letter. He looked over at Esther as she sleep peacefully in the bed. He quietly walked over to her and with a gloved hand he brushed some of the red-locks of her hair away from her face. " I'm sorry, Esther, but this is the only way." He whispered; then bent down and planed a tender kiss on her cheek. He straightened his posture and walked quietly to the door. 

He walked through the dark and quiet streets of Barcelona. _"Forgive me, Esther.'_ He thought, hoping that his thoughts would reach her.

* * *

Esther rolled to her side in the bed. "Abel…." She muttered in her sleep.

* * *

sorry it was short! oh and the song was orginially by Hoobastank hehe. oh and i drew a manga page for the last part of this. I'll up load it someday soon and post it on my homepage, which you u can get the like on my home page here, okay well thanx for reading! REVIEW PLEASE! NO FLAMES! 


	18. Scene 18 Big Girls Don't Cry

yo! look i updated like in less then 48 hours! but sorry guys this one's a short one! (tears) i was going to combine this one with the other chapter was i was like what the heck i'll make it a seprate chapter! so here you go! i know was im going for the next chapter sooooo i'll update really soon! maybe tomorrow if my mom doesnt drag me to funplex for chuckie cheese cuz i'd rather write! okay here's what you really want:

* * *

Chapter 18: Big Girls Don't Cry

An enormous crack of thunder woke Esther up from her slumber. She sat up in bed as she breathed in and out deeply, as lightning flashed. She slowly looked around the dark room. "Abel?' She whispered out into the dark for she noticed that he wasn't by her side anymore.

Thunder cracked again and she jumped. "Abel?" She called a bit louder from her whisper. Hard rain began to pour on the roof top as tears formed in her eyes. She turned on the lamp next to her bed. Light flooded through out the dark room and she squinted from the sudden light. Soon her eyes adjusted and she looked around the room again.

There was no sign of Abel. Tears fell down her cheeks. She noticed a letter on the desk in their room. She pulled the blankets off of herself and let her feet touch the cold wooden floor. She quickly walked over the desk and picked up the letter. She quickly read it over. She stared at it as a tear drop fell onto the bottom right corner beside the name: Abel Nightroad. "Dear Esther," it said.

_Dear Esther,_

_Please forgive me for leaving you, but I must find Cain alone. I don't want you to endanger yourself for my sake. Leon and Father Tres will take you back to the Vatican and I'll come back to you as soon as I kill him. Esther, please listen. You know how I feel. I want you to back to Tabitha and comfort her. She's lost and needs someone, who she trusts, to guide her. Esther, I love you. That's why I can't have you go after Cain with me. He'll surely kill you and I don't want to lose you. Esther, you're the best thing that's ever happen to me. Esther as much as this pains me to do, I have to. Forgive me, my star of hope._

_Love always,_

_Abel Nightroad_

She shook her head as she read it. "No," she gasped in between sobs. "No! Abel, you can't leave me!" She fell to her knees and held the letter dear to her chest as thunder cracked and lightning flashed outside. Depression swept through her like a gust of wind and wouldn't leave her. "Abel, you said that you'd protect me. You said you wouldn't leave me, yet you did! Abel, Abel, Abel!" She cried as tears flowed from her eyes, down her cheeks, and onto the floor.

Suddenly, a voice entered her mind. _"Be strong, Esther."_

Esther looked around the room, but saw no one.

"_Be strong."_ It whispered again.

"I know this voice." She mumbled. "Bishop Laura!" She exclaimed as she stood up.

"_Be strong and don't cry. He'll come back for sure. God will protect him."_

"Bishop Laura?!" She called out again as she looked around the room for her.

The voice began to fade behind the pitter-patter of the hard rain. _"Be strong, Esther, and do not cry."_

"Bishop Laura! Wait!" She called, but all she could hear was the thunder and rain. She bowed her head and folded her hands. _"Thank You, Bishop Laura."_

Leon knocked on the door. "Esther, time to get up! We're going to be leaving soon." He called, but heard no reply. He knocked again. "Esther!" He opened the door. "Esther, I'm coming in!" He said and took a step inside. There he saw Esther sound asleep tucked in bed as she clutched in her hand Abel's letter.

He blushed and walked over to her. He looked down at her. He gently shook her shoulder. "Esther, we have to leave now."

She winced and muttered, "Abel?" She opened her eyes and blinked a few time, hoping to see Abel. But then she saw it was only Father Leon. "Oh, Father Leon. What are you doing in my room?" She said as she yawned.

"We have to leave Barcelona in 1 hour. So, get ready." He said; then left her room.

Esther sat up and yawned again; then she looked at her hand that was clutching to Abel's letter. _"Abel,"_ she thought, _"Abel why did you have to leave? I wanted to support you; be with you forever. Abel. I miss you already." _Tears began to form in her eyes again and she wiped them away with the back of her arm. _"Esther, don't cry! Don't cry! But I miss he so much!"_ She sniffled and stopped crying.

She took a deep breath and looked at the empty space in her bed. She rolled over to that empty space and smelled it. She smiled at the scent. _"It still smells like him." _She lightly rubbed her hand over the sheet. _"It smells sweet, like sugar, but smells clean, like soap."_ She closed her eyes and enjoyed the scent for a while.

Tres, Leon, and Esther walked through the streets of Barcelona. A gust of wind blew passed them, carrying someone's song.

"_The strands in your eyes,_

_The color them wonderful."_

Esther recognized the song and the owner's voice."Abel!" She quietly gasped. She turned and began to follow the voice.

"_Stop me and steal my breath."_

Tres noticed her change in direction. "Where are you going Sister Esther Blanchett?" He robotically asked.

She turned her head and said, "I'll be right back!"

"Wait! Sister Esther!" Leon called after her.

She continued to run. She ran down and alleyway and even tripped over a wooden crate, but still continued to run. She followed the voice.

"_Sapphires from mountains thrust toward the sky."_

Esther darted around a corner and ran toward a park. She ran through the gates and down the cobblestone pathway. There she stopped by a fountain.

"_Never revealing their depth."_

Esther stared at the fountain with a smile as a gust of wind rustled her locks of crimson-red hair. There standing next to the fountain was….

"Abel!" She cried as he turned around to face her with a smile as the wind blew his locks of silver hair. She ran and gave him a big hug. "Abel! Why did you leave me?" She asked as tears flowed down her cheeks. "I missed you!" She cried as she rubbed her head in his torso.

What she didn't know was the dagger in Abel's hand. He raised it over her back and plunged it into her back. She gaped as her eyes grew wide. He pulled it out and stabbed again it a different place on her back. She pushed away from her as she screamed bloody murder.

He walked over to her with a cold, glass look as she looked up at her in fright. "Why?" She asked. He didn't answer but he just slapped her across the face really hard. She fell onto the ground as blood tickled from her nose. "Abel!" She cried. "Stop it! Why are you doing this to me?" She yelled at him, but it seemed that either he didn't hear her or didn't care to what she was saying.

He bent down and picked her up by the back of her hair and turned her around to make her fall on her stomach as he plunged another dagger into her back. She screamed again as blood seeped through her white habit and it seem that no one hear her cries.

Someone whipped her with a whip that had a sharp end on hit. She screamed and cried again on each beat. She tried to look up to see who was whipping her but Abel stepped on her head. She was whipped again and she screamed at him to make it stop. He picked her up back her hair again and looked her into the eye. "Do you still love me now?" He asked.

She looked into his cold, lifeless eyes and whispered, "Yes, I do."

He dropped her head down on the cold cobblestone. He walked around her and whipped her again. She screamed one last cry and he fell down next to her. She looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "I forgive you, Abel." She whispered and closed her eyes.

* * *

wahh! (crying) it's a sad chapter but Esther (muffle) Abel (muffle) ice queen (muffle) (can't tell you the good part cuz that's what we'll fine out in the next chapter[wink) thanx for reading even though it was less then 2,000 words!! ja ne! i'll update really really soon! after soccer tomorrow or tuesday! (hopefully tomorrow!) 


	19. Scene 19 The Ice Queen

hey! i finished the 19th chapter! sorry it took an extra day! i was so clueless on what to do yesterday! but i got it! so here's what you've been waiting for:

* * *

Chapter 19: The Ice Queen 

_She looked at him with a pleading look in her eyes. "I forgive you, Abel." She whispered and closed her eyes._

However, Esther fainted far too early for if she didn't, she would have seen Abel fall onto the ground as he turned into ice and burst into a million pieces.

"That was easy." Someone said as someone floated over Esther's limp body. She smirked and showed a fang. "She's like the little Queenie couldn't put up a good fight." She shrugged. "Oh well. He'll have a fit over this much to her." She gave a small, faint chuckle and flew off.

* * *

Abel sadly walked through the far streets of Barcelona. He looked back sadly behind him. _"Esther…." _He wanted to go back to her and not leave her alone, but he just couldn't bring her in harms way! SO he continued on walking down the road. 

"Hey, priest! You're looking for the White Demon, right?" Someone called.

Abel looked up and saw a young woman, who had long, sand dune blonde hair, icy, cold blue eyes, and pale, powdery skin dressed in a long, slim snow-white colored dress, sit on the edge of a balcony. He nodded and asked, "Who are you and how do you know about _him_?"

"Oh, you don't need to know my name. All you have to do is follow me and I'll take you to Master Cain." She said as she hopped down from the balcony and floated gently down to the cobblestone road.

"You know where he is?!" He gasped.

Suddenly, a bloodcurdling scream sounded throughout the city. He turned as he eyes grew wide as he recognized the voice. "E-Esther!" He gasped and took a few steps toward the scream.

The woman raised an eyebrow. "You're going to help some woman and not go after Master Cain? You're really foolish." She snapped as she bare her fangs.

He looked back at her. "_Master Cain_?" He repeated. "Since when do people worship that devil? Unless–––" He gasped and continued, "Unless you are one of his minions!"

She laughed. "You finally realized you damn priest! So, what will it be? Will you save that damn girl? Or will you kill the man you hate the most?" She disappeared and repapered behind him. "The one who killed your mother and took away your happiness." She whispered slyly.

His eyes grew wide at the memories of his mother and how Cain killed their mother. But Esther came in his mind soon after. _"Esther…."_ He thought.

"No, you want to go away Cain. Forget the girl. Forget. Forget." She whispered into his ear.

His eyes glazed over, but he still tried to gain control over his mind as the mysterious woman tired to control him. Images of Esther flooded into his mind. He fought and fought, until he fell toward the wall and leaned against it. He slide down it as he clutched his bangs and yelled, "Get away from me!"

"But you want to find Master Cain, right? You want to come with me, I can satisfy your desires. Come with me, Abel. Come with me." She whispered into his ear.

"No!" He yelled as he started to gain more control over himself. "Nanomachine 02. 80 percent acknowledged." His eyes turned bloody red and his wings broke free, knocking the woman out of the way. His silver hair turned into a halo and he jumped into the sky and flew away.

The woman pouted as she leaned against the wall. "Master Cain won't like this one bit." She mumbled.

* * *

Abel landed in a park next to a fountain, which was frozen over even though it was the end of summer, where he saw a bloody, limp body. He looked over at the body and couldn't believe that it was Esther. "Esther." He whispered regretfully. "Esther, no. No." He mutter as he shook his head. He ran up to her body and plopped down next to it. He cuddled her in his arms. "Esther! Wake up please! Esther! Esther!" She didn't stir or answer. _"She's… She's d-dead." _He realized and brought her up to his chest and cuddled her. 

Suddenly, she took it a sharp, painful breath. He looked down at her. "She's… She's still breathing, but I must get her help." He said; then stood up with her in his arms. "I'll get you to safety, Esther." His scratchy voice told her; then he leapt into the air and flew away to get help.

* * *

Abel banged on a wooden door to a small medical center with Esther in his arms. The door opened up. "May I help you?" A young nurse, who had medium length copper-color hair, said; then she saw Esther in his arms and gasped, "Oh my!" 

He looked at the nurse with pleading eyes. "You must help her! She's dying Oh, please!" He said.

The nursed and opened the door wider. "Yes, Father. Right this way."

"Thank you." Abel said and stepped inside.

"Take you to the door on your left." The nurse said as she closed the door and locked it. Abel followed her instructions and brought her into the room on his left. She brought her into the room and placed her into the bed as the nurse walked in.

Esther whimpered at the sudden pain. Abel took her hand, kissed it, and whispered. "You're going to be fine Esther. Just fine. I'll be here, so don't worry."

The nurse came up behind him. "I'm sorry, Father, but you have to wait outside until I'm done."

Abel let go of her hand as he stood up to face the nurse. "What do you mean?! I want to stay here with her!"

"I'm sorry, Father, but you must wait outside, now hurry and scoot!" She told him.

He nodded and turned to Esther. He bent down and kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back. Be strong and get well." He stood up straight and walked out of the room.

* * *

Abel paced back and forth through the back garden of the small medical center. "Why am I such an idiot?!" He muttered. "Why couldn't I just have stayed there and protected her! Cain was just waiting for me to leave so that he could attack her! And I knew it! Why did I let him?! Why?! Why?! Esther this is all my damn fault! Why am I such an idiot?" He yelled out loud and punched the wall next to him. 

Blood ticked from his knuckles and down his arm, but he just held his stance and fist on the wall as he breathed in and out deeply. He let his fist fall back down to his side as tears tickled down from his eyes. He fell to his knees and clutched the dirt and grass below him as tears rolled off his nose and cheeks and onto the ground.

Something flew pass his cheek. It hit the ground next to his right hand. He looked at it. It was an ice dart.

"What a punch you have, priest." Someone said behind him.

He looked up and saw the mysterious woman from earlier. "What do you want?!" He snapped as he stood up.

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted you to know how disappointed Master Cain was that you choose that Terran girl over him, your own brother." She said as she sat on the roof next to the medical center.

"Let me just ask this. Who and what are you?" He asked her.

She smirked and sat up more proudly. "My name is Stella. I'm a Methuselah, but I'm no ordinary Methuselah. I'm also a sorceress." She said slyly. Suddenly she was behind Abel and whispered into his ear, "A sorceress who controls ice." She smirked slyly and showed off a fang. "Bye, bye, priest." She said as he turned around to face her. She the jumped backwards into the air and disappeared.

He glared up at the shaded area where she disappeared. _"I will destroy Cain for all the pain he has caused towards me, towards Esther, and towards the world."_

The nurse came outside. "Father, I'm finished with her. You may see her now, although she's sleeping." She told him.

He nodded and said, "Thank you." She smiled at him and walked inside and he followed.

* * *

He opened the door to her room and quietly stepped inside. He shut the door behind him and walked over to her bed. There he saw Esther all bandaged up. Her habit was taken off and replaced with a hospital nightgown and an IV was placed in her arm. He looked at her sadly as he sat in the chair next to her bed. _"Esther…oh, Esther… please forgive me. I have caused you so much pain. Why do you love me still? I don't deserve you. I have competed so many sins and… and look what I have put you through! I don't want you to go through anymore suffering. I want to save you from it all, but anything I seem to do, it just causes more pain for both of us."_

She stirred in her bed and groaned. Suddenly her eyes fluttered opened and she looked up wearily at Abel. "Abel…." She whispered.

"Esther! Are… are you all right? How do you feel?" He asked her.

She smiled. "I'm okay, just a little sore." She said. She tried to sit up and winced at the pain. He saw this and gently pushed her back down.

"Don't," he told her, "just relax."

She nodded and relaxed in her bed.

"Esther…." He began after a long moment of silence. "Esther, who did this to you exactly?"

She looked at him weirdly, but then looked away. "Don't you remember? You did." She muttered sadly.

"Me?!" He gasped. "Esther, surely, I would never hurt you! Esther, I love you for heaven's sake! I could never hurt you!"

She looked at him, shocked. "But I heard your voice. You were singing, our song. I saw you, Abel! If in wasn't you, then who–" She was cut off by Abel.

"Stella." He said coldly. "She's Cain's follower." He grabbed her hand and gave her a sympathetic look. "You thought I hurt you, didn't you?" He asked.

She nodded as tears rolled down the sides for her cheeks. She sniffled and bit her lip.

"Esther, I'm sorry for leaving you. If I didn't leave none of this wouldn't have happened." He told her and he squeezed her hand in insurance. "Please forgive me."

She took a quite breath. "So that wasn't you." She said and took another short, deep breath.

He shook his head. "No, that wasn't me, Esther. I'll never hurt you. I'll always protect you."

"Abel!" She said in between sobs. She placed her other hand on his that was squeezing her right. "I'm so relieved that it wasn't you. I thought that you didn't love me anymore. I thought that–"

"Do I really seem that unreliable?" He asked with a smile.

She shook her head. "No, you aren't."

They both stared into each other's eyes for a long while. Suddenly, their lips were drawn to each other's. They were only centimeters apart when someone abruptly opened the door.

"Esther, are you all right?! What happened?!" Leon yelled as he barged through the door with Tres behind him.

Abel looked at them as he rubbed his neck nervously. "Leon. Tres. You're both here already?"

Leon marched up to Abel and looked him into the eye. "What did you do, Abel?! You should have been there to protect her, damn it!"

Tres walked up to Esther and asked robotically, "Damage report, Sister Esther."

Esther laughed lightly. "It's okay, Father Leon and Father Tres. I'm fine."

Leon came up to her bedside and said, "How is this fine? You're all bandaged up! Are you sure your fine?"

She nodded. "Yes, Father Leon, I'm fine. Abel took very good care of me." She said with a smile.

Leon snorted. "You are one tough girl, Esther."

Abel watched them all with a sad yet happy smile. _"She sure is. Esther is like no ther girl in the world."_ He thought.

* * *

It was night. Everyone went to bed for the night. Esther slept peacefully alone in her room. 

Someone quietly slide open the window in her room. The person blew, with their mouth, a cold wintery air into the room.

Esther shivered and pulled the blankets up over her head as she sneezed.

The person snickered and closed the window. The person was Stella. She floated gently next the Esther's window and said, "I like to see her recover from that fever." She snickered again and flew off into the night.

Inside, Esther sneezed again and panted from the heat that rose off her face.

* * *

Inside another room, Abel couldn't sleep,_ again_. He tossed and turned in his bed. Finally, he sat up and sighed. He was worried about Esther and her health. He pulled the covers off of him and changed out of his nightgown, which the nurse (whose name was Sarah) gave him, and into his normal attire. 

He quietly walked down the dark hallway and came to Esther's room. He knocked on it lightly and opened the door. He curiously poked his head inside and saw her asleep in her bed. His face turned from his curious, childish expression to a serious and sorrowful. He closed the door and walked over to the chair next to her bed. He sat in it softly and looked at her.

That all he did was stared lovingly and sorrowfully at her as she slept. He regretted that he did protect her. He regretted that he left her. He regretted that he didn't kill Cain early; then she wouldn't have been caught up in all this pain and suffering.

Suddenly, he noticed that Esther's breathing was heavy and she was sweating a lot. He stood up and looked over her. "Esther?" He whispered. "Esther, are you okay?" He placed a hand, which had no glove on, on her forehead, but quickly pulled it back as he gasped, " Esther! You're burning up!"

* * *

Esther felt something cool and wet placed on her head and wearily opened her eyes to a blurry image of a worried Abel. She blinked and saw him clearer. "Abel?" She asked in almost a whisper. 

He shushed her and said. "You have quiet a fever. So get some rest." He smiled, but it looked fake.

She relaxed a pit under the blankets and shivered.

"Are you cold?" He asked as he noticed her shivering.

She shook her head. "What time is it?" She asked as she turned her head and looked out the window, noticing that it was still dark out and the only light in the room was for the moon outside and the lamp on the table next to her.

"It's passed four in the morning." He simply replied. He looked at the window as well,

Minutes passed by that seemed like forever. Esther suddenly sneezed. Abel picked up a bowl of oatmeal on the table next to her. "Here, Esther. Eat this. It should help you."

She looked at him and nodded. She tried to sit up, but couldn't gather up enough strength to do so.

He looked at her worriedly. "Just lay there." He instructed. She nodded and lay back. He set the bowl back down on the table and got up. He left the room, but quickly returned with another pillow. He walked back over to her bed and placed the pillow under her head to raise her head up a little. He sat back down and picked up the blow again. He picked up the spoon in the bowl and spooned some out. He reached over and held it up to her lips.

She opened her mouth and ate it. She swallowed it and said, "This is good. Did you make it?"

He looked down at the oatmeal as he spooned some more out for her. "Yes, I did." He said.

"Well, it's very well made. Nice and sweet, but it has a bit of cinnamon in it. Am I right?" She asked as she smiled at him.

He gave her another spoonful as he answered, "Yes. It does." He smiled back at her as she ate it. She swallowed it. He chuckled lightly, because on the side of her lip was some oatmeal.

"What's so funny?" She asked, slightly offended.

He stuck the spoon back in the oatmeal and reached over to her the corner of her mouth. He wiped it off and held it up for her to see. "This." He said and she giggled at it. He lift his finger up to is mouth and ate it. "Hmmm. That is good." He said as he smiled sweetly.

She giggled again. "Abel." She laughed. He continued to smile as he feed her some more.

* * *

well, what did you guys think? i thought that some of the lines where kinda chessy when abel saw esther in her hopstial bed for the 1st time. haha. well review away! (oh, i wont update till i get 10 more reviews! so if you want another chapter… REVIEW!) 


	20. Scene 20 Before The Final Battle

hey, yall! man, this week was busy! okay monday was our 1st of school (im a FRESHMAN!! yay high school, but i have beeen going to the same school since pre-k grades go from pre-k to 12th) and we went to high point camp in geigertown PA! to bond and grow more spuiritually! it was awesome and it was my 5th week there this summer! (live time total so far: 12 times, 6 years) haha well yea, here's what you've been waiting for:

* * *

Chapter 20: Before the Final Battle

Esther woke up the next day and saw Abel fast asleep in the chair next to her with his head buried in his hands and his elbows propped up on his thighs. She smiled and whispered, "Abel, time to get up." He didn't stir. She giggled faintly and turned to look out her window.

Sunlight poured in through the window as birds chirped outside. She could see the beautiful garden and the little fountain in the garden. _"I want… I want to open the window. I want to feel the cold morning air and the warmth of the sun on my skin." _She told herself silently. She slowly pulled the blankets off of her and winced from the pain of her moving. She moved her legs off the bed slowly and placed her feet on the cold wooden floor. She stood up weakly, but then took a step forward. She grabbed the rolling pole with her IV bag on it and walked toward the window.

When she got there, she placed her hands on the right side and slid it open toward the left. The chirpings grew from faint to normal and the sunlight made her skin feel warm as the morning breeze rustled her hair and cooled off her face. "It's so beautiful…." She whispered as she watched a sparrow fly from a tree branch to the fountain. She looked down and saw another sparrow on the windowsill. She smiled down at it and reached her pointer finger down at it to let him perch on her finger. He looked at it curiously, but then jumped and with a little flapping from his wings landed on her finger.

She chuckled lightly at it. "You're a pretty bird. Aren't you?" She whispered to him.

He nodded in agreement and she chuckled again. She lift and her hand out the window toward the sun. "Goodbye, Mr. Sparrow." She said and he flew off. She laughed lightly as she watched it fly.

Suddenly, she began to feel light headed and everything seemed to be spinning. She grabbed the pole her IV bag was on to support herself, however, it didn't help and she fell onto the wooden floor.

* * *

Abel was awoken from a bang and a clang. He looked over to Esther's bed and saw that she wasn't there. He jumped up in panic and saw Esther on the floor. He rushed over to her and picked her up. "Esther?" He called to her, as she lay asleep in his arms. When he didn't receive a reply, sighed. He stood up with her in his arms and brought her to her bed. There, he tucked her in. "Esther don't push yourself. Please" He whispered. 

Sarah, the nurse, checked Esther's pulse, as Esther lay awake in her bed. She straightened her postured and pulled back her long bangs behind her ear. "She seems fine." She told a worried Abel, who sat in the chair next to Esther, as he held her hand. "She just needs some rest." She told them.

"All right." Abel said. "Thank you."

"Your welcome. Well, I better go and prepare breakfast." Sarah said as she turned to walk out of the room.

Abel smiled and looked down at Esther. She smiled back.

Sarah walked out of the room and began to close the door. She left it open a bit and looked at them.

Leon walked down that same hallway and noticed Sarah as she peeked inside Esther's room. "What'cha doing, Sarah?" He asked a bit loud.

Sarah shushed him.

He looked into the crack and saw Abel laughing and nervously rubbing the back of his neck as Esther looked at Abel madly and had her arms crossed. "Eavesdropping, huh?" He whispered.

"No!" She whispered back. "I was just wondering. Aren't Father Nightroad and Sister Esther a bit too close for a priest and a nun?" She asked.

Leon sighed. "Well, it seems that God wanted them to be together and Sister Esther made Abel so happy. You should have seen him before he met Esther. He would just put on a fake smile all the time and do his duty, of coarse with the trips and falls he made."

"I see." She whispered as she looked back at Abel, who smiled a true loving smile at Esther, and Esther, who smiled back at him.

* * *

Tres stood outside in the garden by a wall of one of the buildings. He digitially made an image of Lady Catherine on the wall. 

"Hello, Tres. I haven't heard from you since the incident at Grace's place." She spoke.

"My lady, Sister Esther has been seriously injured, however, she has been taken in good care of a local hospital. She shall be recovered and free in a week." He told her.

"Poor girl, is she doing all right?"

"Affirmative, she is recovering quickly."

"Well, that's good news."

A moment of silence was held between them and soon, Lady Catherine spoke up:

"Tres, how is Abel dealing with this."

"Affirmative. Father Nightroad is very troubled. He's told me that this was his fault. I told him that it wasn't and that what happen to Sister Esther was work of Cain, however, he didn't wish to believe me." Tres said with his face expressionless, as always.

"I see." She sighed. "Tell him that as soon as Sister Esther recovers that you four must leave for Madrid immediately. Cain has been giving us many problems and he must be stopped before Allhallows Eve. I have heard from the Empress of the Empire that Cain will gain all of his energy then. You have one week. Sister Kate and I will back you up if you need it."

Tres nodded. "Positive, my lady."

* * *

Lady Catherine smiled back at him and turned off the screen. She was sitting a garden behind the palace in the Empire. A girl with short navy blue hair and dressed in royal robes came up to her. 

"Was that Father Tres you were speaking with, Your Eminence?" She asked.

Lady Catherine stood up. "Your Grace, I'm honored to met with you."

"Please. Call me Seth." The Empress smiled as she spoke. She walked over to the seat across from Lady Catherine and sat in it as Lady Catherine sat as well and spoke:

"Seth, yes it was. He just informed me that Her Majesty, Queen Esther was greatly injured."

"Esther!" Seth gasped. "Poor girl! Is she okay?" She asked.

Lady Catherine nodded. "Your brother, Abel, is taking very good care of her." She smiled at his name.

Seth smiled at the picture of Esther lying in bed and Abel trying to bring her some tea but ending up spilling it all on himself. "They make such a good couple. I wonder when my brother with ask her to marry him?" She smiled slyly.

Lady Catherine smiled as well and nodded at the comment. "Hopefully, after this damn war."

* * *

The sky was bright blue and white angelic clouds dotted it. Esther held onto her wimple as a gust of wind tried to blow it away, as she looked back with a smile at Abel, Leon, and Tres as they walked up a grassy hill. A week had passed since the incident and Esther had healed fairly well. She still wore a few bandages and would have three scars from the knife stabbings, but all in all, she was well. 

Abel caught up to her on the hill and held his hand out for her to hold it. She gladly took it and he entangled their fingers together. Leon and Tres joined them on the top of the hill as Leon rolled his eyes, as he said:

"Let's go, Lovebirds. We need to stop Cain by sun rise tomorrow morning."

Abel's goofy expression changed and he was completely serious. Esther became a bit serious as well as they both nodded in unison.

"Good." Leon scoffed.

"Proceeding." Tres commented as they began to walk down the other side of the hill.

Esther and Abel's eyes grew wide at the sight as they stopped. Right below them was supposedly the city of Madrid. There was a dark city in ruins with a black and dark purple aura that was glowing dimly.

"What the hell happened here?" Leon asked particularly to no one.

"Let's go." Abel said growing seriously again. He began to walk as Esther nodded and followed him.

* * *

Cain sat naked in his long pool-like bath in his dark room. Stella swam up to him, she too was naked, and wrapped her arms around his neck as she came up behind him. "They're coming near." She said and resting her chin in his slightly wet blonde hair on the top of his head. 

He stared out into nothing. "I know." He replied. "It seems that the final battle is near." He lifted his hand and arm out for the water and placed it on Stella's left arm. "My dear brother, what will you do when I kill your only_ hope_ left?" He smirked.

* * *

yay! there's chapter 20! uea its short but!!!! i added a second part to this chapter! it's about Tabitha and the Empire and to goes into where Lady Catherine was talking to Tres and what Tabitha was doing during that time! and what she thinks!! haha so here ya go:

* * *

Chapter 20.5: Tabitha's Arrival in the Empire 

A large airship flew across the blue sky as it passed through a fluffy white cloud.

Tabitha looked out the window with her face and hands pressed onto the glass with her arm tightly round the red teddy bear Abel and Esther had given her, as she looked of the beautiful Empire. "Ahh!" She gasped in awe. She turned back to Lady Catherine, who sat in a chair behind her, and said to her, "Lady Catherine, it's so beautiful!"

Lady Catherine nodded. "Yes, Tabitha, this is the Empire where we will talk to the Empress."

"Oh," she breathed and turned back to the window with a worried face.

Lady Catherine saw Tabitha's expression by her reflection in the window. She looked at the girl sadly.

Tabitha soon spoke up. "Do you think she'll like me?" She asked.

Lady Catherine gathered her feelings and expressions as she said, "Yes, I know that she'll just adore you. You'll have lots of fun with her."

Tabitha looked back at her again. "Really?" She squeaked.

Lady Catherine nodded.

Suddenly one of the worker's one the ship came up to them and said, "Your Eminence, well will be arriving in the Empire shortly."

Lady Catherine smiled at the man. "Thank you."

The airship flew closer toward the empire and soon landed.

* * *

Tabitha walked up the long cobblestone entrance to the Empress's palace with the bear still tucked under her arm as its head was next to her own, as she held onto Lady Catherine's hand. She looked up at the grand building with an excited look on her face. 

An advisory of the Empress came up to them and escorted them to the Empress herself.

* * *

Lady Catherine was seated in the back gardens of the Empress's Palace in a patio chair and table. Tea and cookies were set on the table and Tabitha reached and grabbed one. She bit it and smiled at the flavor and reached for another one. She reached again and Lady Catherine placed a hand on top of Tabitha's as she shook her head. 

"Sit, Tabitha." She told her.

Tabitha nodded and sat down in the chair next to her.

"Do you want some tea?" She asked Tabitha.

Tabitha shook her head. "No, thank you."

Lady Catherine nodded and poured herself some tea. She placed a sugar cub into it and stirred it with her spoon. She took it out, banged it lightly on the inside rip of her cup, and placed it on her saucer under her cup. She lifted up the cup of tea and took a breath of the steamy tea. She breathed it out and took at sip; then placed it back onto the saucer.

A tall woman, who had long blonde hair with a red strip in her bangs and dressed rather immodestly, walked up to Tabitha and Lady Catherine. Lady Catherine recognized her and said, "Lady Astharoshe, it's a pleasure to see you again."

With her slightly cold gaze, she replied, "Yes, you too, Catherine." She looked down at the six year old at the table who looked up at Astharoshe intensively. "Who's this, Catherine?"

With a gesture of her hand, Lady Catherine explained, "This is Tabitha Cromwell. Her parents had died not too long ago. Abel and Her Majesty, Queen Esther are taking care of her, however, for the moment she is in my care."

"I see." Astharoshe said as she looked from Lady Catherine back to Tabitha who squeezed her teddy bear tighter. Augusta kneeled down and looked up at Tabitha. "Hello, Tabitha, my name is Astharoshe Asran and I am the Dutchess of Kiev." She told her and smiled slightly for friendly terms.

"Tabitha how about you and Lady Astharoshe take a walk around the garden? If Lady Astharoshe doesn't mind." Lady Catherine suggested.

"Um, sure I can show her the garden." Astharoshe said and awkwardly stood up.

"Go on Tabitha. It's all right." Lady Catherine told her. Tabitha nodded and hopped off the chair and walked timidly over to Astharoshe.

Astharoshe nodded and said as she walked toward the garden path, "Let's go, Tabitha." They both walked down the path with Astharoshe leading and Tabitha following.

Lady Catherine smiled as she watched them walk. Beeping noises sounded lightly around her as a computer image appeared of Tres. "Hello, Tres. I haven't heard from you since the incident at Grace's place." She spoke.

* * *

Astharoshe and Tabitha walked pass a fountain. Tabitha stopped and looked into it. There she saw beautiful fish swim around the in the fountain. She saw a red one and a white one, as the two fish swam side-by-side together as a smaller one, who was half white and half red, swam behind them , and said as Astharoshe walked up behind her, "Look, Miss Asther-o-shee, it's Father Abel and Sister Esther. And the small one is me!" 

Astharoshe looked at the child in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Tabitha looked at her and smiled. "Father Abel and Sister Esther are going to be my parents! They gave me this bear and told me that they love me and want to have a daughter like me some day! Father Abel likes Sister Esther a lot! Don't you think so?" She cocked her head as she smiled again.

Astharoshe looked at the little girl shocked and sort of disappointed. "What?" She muttered in a gasp that was more like a whisper.

"I can't wait till they come back from their journey, because I miss them so much!" Tabitha exclaimed and hugged the teddy bear with another warm smile.

Astharoshe continued to look at Tabitha shocked. _"Tovaquish,"_ she thought, _"what have you've been up to?"_

* * *

Later, Tabitha and Astharoshe walked back to Lady Catherine. However, someone else sat with her. It was Her Highness, Seth in the seat across from Lady Catherine. 

Astharoshe looked surprised and said, "Your Highness, it's a honor to be in your presence." She bowed slightly and Tabitha curtsied the best the she could while she held on to Astharoshe's hand and her bear.

Seth stood up and walked over to Tabitha. "Hello," she said with a smile as she bent down slightly to more Tabitha's level, "my name's Seth. I'm the Empress here, but just call me Seth. All right?"

Tabitha nodded.

"Good. So, what's your name?" Seth asked her.

"My name is Tabitha Cromwell, but soon it's gonna be Tabitha," she paused and looked at Lady Catherine because she forgot what was Abel's last name!

"Nightroad." Lady Catherine whispered.

'Yes," Tabitha continued, "Nightroad. Tabitha Nightroad. Sister Esther and Father Abel are gonna be my parents," her cheerful face died as she continued, "because my real parents died." But now she smiled back at Seth, "But Sister Esther and Father Abel love me and want a daughter like me!"

Seth looked surprised at Tabitha's last statement but the smiled back her. "Yes, Tabitha, I'm very happy for you. Would you like to have tea with me?"

"Yes! I'd like that!" Tabitha nodded.

Seth took her hand and lead her over to the table as she said, "You know, my brother is Abel."

"Really?" Tabitha gasped as she looked up at her. "She you're goin' to be my new aunt?"

Seth nodded. "Yupp."

Lady Catherine smiled at Seth and Tabitha as they sat down across from her and Astharoshe sat down next to her.

* * *

yay! it's done [yawn wow im tired so im off to bed! thanx for all the reviews!! give me 10 more and i'll update! 


	21. Scene 21 Fear In Your Eyes

hey guys! thanx for all the reviews! i love it when i get them! and thanx for waiting! sorry this chapter took me a bit long to type up cuz this past week was my offisle (i killed it but whatev'!) week of school and it was cool! high school different teachers and lunch peirod however it was in the same building cuz my school goes from preschool- 12th grade so i've going there for 11 years! well anyway here's what you've been waitin' for:

* * *

Chapter 21: Fear In Your Eyes 

Tres, Leon, Abel, and Esther walked through the wrecked city of Madrid. The ruined buildings and darkness surrounded them.

Esther looked around wondering what happened here. "Abel, what on earth happened here?" She asked.

"I don't know." He replied as he sadly looked around.

Leon answered for them, "Probably a famine or an earthquake."

"Negative." Tres spoke up as they came to a stop. "Sensors detect no source of tectonic activity. Sensors do indicate there is plenty of sources for food."

Esther and Abel looked at Tres sadly. Leon just looked frustrated and annoyed; then he stomped pass Tres as he said, "Come on, let's hurry up." They followed him.

But suddenly, a big, long rat scurried pass Esther's feet and when she saw it, she squeaked at it as she moved closer to Abel.

"Esther, are you all right?" Abel asked as he noticed her behavior.

She relaxed a bit and answered, "Oh, yes. I'm all right."

"Okay, well just stick close to me, so that you don't get lost." He said as they followed Tres and Leon, however, Esther had stopped walking and looked into a dark house that was falling apart. There she walked inside, as if it was calling to her.

Abel looked back as he smiled with his eyes closed as he said, "I wouldn't you to get lost, Esther." He opened his eyes and saw that she had disappeared. "Esther?" He whispered as he turned around.

* * *

Esther had walked into the house. Darkness filled it except for the small rays of light that shinned in through the little wholes in the roof. Cobwebs hung onto the ceiling and on what was left of the rotting furniture. She slowly made her way toward the couch. She ducked under the fallen beam of the ceiling and saw on the other side of the couch was an old, stuffed doll with long black hair and a worn, tattered, red dress. She picked it up to take a better look at it as tears nipped the corners of her eyes. 

Children had been living there. She realized that. The family that had been living there was probably dead. A tear rolled down her cheek as she thought more about the family.

* * *

Abel stepped inside a house in ruins. There he saw, with relief, Esther, who stood next to a fallen beam and a rotting couch, as she held a doll. He smiled slightly that he had found her. He walked over to her. As he ducked under the beam and stepped on a stick, causing it to crack, she looked up at him with tears rolling down her cheeks. His goofy, relaxed smile faded at the sight of her sad face. "Esther," he began, but she stopped him from continuing. 

"Abel," she sniffled, "innocent people died here. Children," her voice grew louder from her whisper, "children died!" She tenderly clutched the doll in her hands.

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know. Many of innocent people died here. Men and women, even their children have perished. That's why we are here to stop this madness."

She held the doll near her heart. "But Abel, how could… could someone be so cruel? Destroying others to raise one up?" She asked as he wiped away her tears.

"That's the sin nature of mankind. Methuselah and Terran, and Crusnik." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders as he let her head rest on his chest and he rested his head on the top of her head. He continued, "Our sin nature has made us corrupt. Even the most righteous man has sin one time in his life. All people have sinned. Only God and His Son, Jesus Christ, have never sinned, because He is holy and pure." He stopped hugging her. "Come on, Father Leon and Father Tres are waiting." She nodded and began to follow him out the door.

But poor Abel! He didn't see the round, clay pot and had tripped over it with a loud crash and crack! The crows, which perched on the beams above them, cawed loudly and flapped their wings as Esther rushed over to help Abel up. However, the crows swooped down and began to attack Esther. She screamed lightly at the sudden attack and backed away from Abel. Abel stood up to shield Esther from the birds and the crows began to attack him more.

"Abel!" Esther gasped when she saw this. "Are you all right?"

"Yes–ouch–I'm okay–ouch! Just get–ow–get out of–ow, watch my glasses-out of here!" He said, as the three crows hopelessly attacked him.

"Target locked." Father Tres robotically said as he walked into the doorway and made a clicking noise as he drew his guns. He fired at all three birds; on each fire, one bird was hit and was thrown across the room from the force of the bullet. Tres let his hands (and guns) fall to his side.

Abel, who had his hands on the top of his head, had shut his eyes and he timidly opened his left eye to look round. Once he realized that he was no longer in danger, he opened his other eye and slowly got up. He laughed nervously. "Thank you, Tres. If it wasn't for you I would have been pecked to death!" He joked.

Tres, who had already put his guns away, looked at Abel with his expressionless face as he asked, "Damage report, Father Nightroad?"

He chuckled as he brushed off the dirt on his black clothes. "Oh, yes! I'm just dandy! Now let's get going, shall we?" He said as he smiled, with his eyes closed, at Esther. He opened his eyes and saw Esther. "Esther, are you all right?" He asked in a worried tone.

She sat on the cold cement floor with her legs pointed to the left and right as she clutched dearly to her chest the doll. Her eyes wide open in shock. She shook her head to awake herself out from her gaze; then said, "Yes, I'm fine." She stood up and fixed her habit as Leon came into the ruined house with a rather annoyed look. He looked at Esther; then at Tres; then finally, at Abel (and if this was an anime he would have sweat-dropped).

Esther rolled her eyes at Leon and walked pass the couch and fallen, wooden beam. She gracefully walked over to the fireplace and mantle on the wall. She carefully placed the doll on the mantle as she smiled sadly at it. Then she kneeled down, folded her hands, and began to pray silently, _"Dear Lord, please save these innocent souls…."_

Abel came up behind her and kneeled down next to her. He began to pray silently as well, _"My Heavenly Father, I beg you to please spare these innocent souls. Children have died here and I beg you to especially save their souls. And also, please give us the strength to defeat Cain. I know that revenge is wrong and so is killing, however, Cain has become evil, and so, to save Your Children from the darkness, I need to kill him and expose them to Your light. My Wonderful Savior, I also thank and praise you for my life and for Esther, without her, I probably would have fallen prey to the devil's darkness. Amen"_ He opened his eyes and unfolded his hands. He looked and saw Esther as she still continued to pray. He smiled at her lovingly.

"…Amen." She whispered and she opened her eyes as she turned and smiled at Abel.

He stood up and said, "Let's go."

She nodded and stood up as well. Together they joined Tres and Leon at the doorway; then all four of them continued their journey to Cain.

* * *

Esther looked up at a tall, black-iron gate, then at its lock. "How on earth are we supposed to get passed this?" She asked as she turned to look back at Abel, Tres, and Leon. 

Abel smiled weakly as he said, "Um, I guess we could climb it?" Tres walked pass them and up to the gate. "Wait. What are you doing, Tres?" Abel asked as panic rose in his voice.

Tres ignored Abel's question and withdrew his guns. "Target locked." He robotically spoke. He fired at the lock multiple times. After a few shots the lock fell onto the ground with a clang. "Obstacle demolished." He reported and put his guns away. "Proceeding mission." He said as he walked through the now opened gates and toward the dark castle behind it.

Abel had watched Tres, flabbergasted. He pulled himself back together as he said, "Tres! You-you can't just blow right through the gates! You could give away our cover!"

Leon pushed Abel slightly toward the gates and began to follow Tres as he said, "Who cares?! Look, we got through right?"

Abel watched them as they walked down the cobblestone entrance with his mouth wide open.

Esther walked over to him. "He's right," she shyly began, "we better hurry too." Then she too began to follow Tres.

Now Abel stood alone outside the gate. After a second, he leaped after them. "Hey! Wait for me!" He cried as he helplessly followed them.

* * *

Stella approached Cain as he sat in his throne with a glass of wine in his left hand. "Stella," he greeted slyly, "have you arranged our _warm_ welcome for our _guests_?" 

She bowed before him. "Yes, Master Cain." I have. Your foolish brother and those damned Terrans wouldn't be getting here till tomorrow morning." She said as she took a seat next to him. He took a sip of his wine and said,

"Excellent."

* * *

Leon violently opened the castle's big doors with a great bang and Abel flinched at it. "Could- could you be a little more gentle, Leon?" He asked. 

Leon ignored him and said, "Let's hurry. We have less than 24 hours to stop him." He walked through the entrance way and into the dark room before them. Esther and Tres followed him into the room, leaving Abel behind again, however, Abel soon followed them into the grand, dark room.

* * *

"Man, where the hell is this guy?" Leon asked as he made a sour face and scratched his head. Round them were many entrances and staircases leading to different room and floors. 

"Father Leon, I don't feel so sure about this place. It gives me the creeps." She said as she took a step forward. But when she did, she had stepped on a secret button that had opened up the floor beneath them. Leon, Abel, Esther, and Tres began to fall into the darkness underneath them.

* * *

(a/n: haha i was going to stop it here but instead i'll but an AD for one of my stories!) 

Daa! Daa! Daa!- Greatest Time Of The Year: summary- Snow. Christmas. What's Christmas without a little love and mistletoe? Join Kanata and Miyu as they sort out their feelings for one another this Christmas, as revials come into the seen to capture Kanata and Miyu's hearts! kanataXmiyu

* * *

Leon, Abel, Esther, and Tres began to fall into the darkness underneath them. 

"Esther!" Abel yelled worryingly.

"A-Abel!" She screamed as she looked up at him with her right arm up toward him, while Leon had grabbed onto the top edge of the hole, and Tres had singled for the rockets in the bottom of his boots to activate and he had flown out of the hole.

Abel quickly transformed, as he fell down toward and with one mighty flap of his wings, he reached her. He securely wrapped his arms around her petite waist and held dearly onto her. Then, he started to fly back up, however, the floor began to close up above them. His glowing red eyes grew wide from the fact and he flapped him wings to fly faster. They neared the narrow opening and were only a few feet away from it, when it closed with an echoing bam.

Abel and Esther could hear the banging of Leon as he yelled, "Abel! Esther! Are you guys all right?"

"Yes!" Abel's scratchy voice replied.

"Tres," Leon started, "blow through this!"

"Command excepted." Tres robotic voice came from above them.

"No! Don't Tres!" Abel yelled.

Tres, who had already drawn out his guns, said, "Aborting command. New command excepted, Father Nightroad." He put his guns away.

"Abel!" Leon yelled down at him. "Now how the hell are you guys going to get out?'

Abel looked down into the darkness as he hovered with Esther in his arms. He looked back up and replied, "I believe there's a path down here. Esther and I will take this one down here while you and Tres take one up there. Hopefully, we'll end up together where Cain is."

Leon sighed. "All right, Abel. I'll trust you on this one. You guys go that way and we'll go this way. And Abel, " he paused and heard Abel's hoarse voice ask,

"Yes?"

"Just don't die." He said firmly.

Abel nodded, even through Leon couldn't see him.

"Good Luck!" Esther told them.

"You too." Leon said; then he and Tres walked away.

Abel looked down at Esther as he smiled lovingly down at her; then he flew downward and landed gracefully and slowly on his feet one the ground. He had let her slowly slip from his grasp and her feet too, touched the ground. They looked straight and saw a darker entrance.

"This way." Abel's scratchy told her as he looked down at her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. However, he noticed that in her eyes was fright. "Ar-Are you all right?" He asked her, as he was touched with uncertainness. "Esther?" He added. His hoarse tone startled her and she jumped slightly. "Esther?" He repeated.

She avoided his eyes. "Oh, I'm just fine." She gathered enough courage to look into the dark entrance, but still avoided his red eyes. "Let's go." She said and took a step forward, but he stopped her.

"Esther," he spoke, his normal voice coming in s he wrapped his arms around her gingerly to hold her as he transformed back and the feathers from his wings flew up and around them and then slowly disappeared, "don't lie. I could hear your heart race and I can still see the fear in your eyes. But, don't worry. I'll protect you, even if saving you could send me to heaven."

"Abel, thank you. But you're not going to die, I won't allow it." She spoke.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." He said with a loving smile and he kissed her cheek.

"Abel?" A mysterious, melodious voice came from the dark entrance before them, "Is that you?" The owner of the voice came out of the entrance and closer to them. They recognized the owner of the voice.

"N-Noelle?!" They both gasped.

* * *

ohhhhh! cliffhanger!! huhuhuhuhu what the heck is noelle doing there? isnt she dead? well u have to find out in the next chapter!!! huhuhuhu 


	22. Scene 22 The Power of Ice

Hey guys!!! sry for the long wait! was eally working hard on this chapter while i had school and homework and studying for tests and quizes while i had soccer and friends over and church! sooo busy! plus i had writer's block for one of the parts! i'll tell you where it is at the end! so here's waht you've been waiting for:

* * *

Chapter 22: The Power of Ice 

"N-Noelle?" Abel and Esther both gasped as Abel let Esther go.

"So it is you, Abel." Her melodious voice said. "And you brought little Esther with you too." Her lips slid into a slightly mysterious grin.

Esther pouted slightly at Noelle's remark as Abel asked nervously, "Noelle, what brings you here?"

Noelle looked him in the eye accusingly. "I should be asking you that. Why in world are here with this red-headed nun?"

He waved his hands in front of his face nervously. "Noelle! Esther and I are just here to take care of some important business."

"Oh, you mean _that_ 'kind of business'." She said with a seductive smile.

Abel and Esther both blushed as he tried to explain, "No, you got it all wrong! Esther and I are not down here to do _that_! We're down here to––" however, Esther cut him off.

"Please, Sister Noelle! Do you really believe that Abel and I would come all way down here just to, let alone, think of doing _that_! We are on a very important mission that will save the world!" She yelled at her.

Noelle nodded. "Uh, huh, all right. I believe you."

Abel let out a sigh of relief; then he looked at Noelle sadly, yet seriously. "Um, Noelle? H-How did you get here? I mean, weren't you–um, you know–dead?" He asked.

She looked at Abel disbelievingly as she asked, "I–I died?"

This time Esther spoke up, "Yes, during the Silent Noise incident in Barcelona," she paused slightly to think, "I don't know how you could be here?"

"I don't know either." Noelle said. "Maybe God gave me a second chance." She suggested.

Abel smiled at her remark. "Noelle, I'm glad to see to you alive and well."

She returned his smile with on of her own. "I'm glad to see you alive as well."

"Well, shall we proceed?" He asked and looked at both of the women. Esther nodded and walked together with him into the dark tunnel as Noelle, who wore an evil smirk, followed them inside.

* * *

Leon and Tres walked through the castle upper hallways that were dimly lit by a path of faint chandeliers down the hallway on the ceilings. 

"Are we there yet, Tres?" Leon asked.

"Negative." He replied.

"Man, this is taking too damn long." Leon mumbled.

Tres stopped and so did Leon, whose annoyed expression had become serious, as Leon said, "Looks like we have company." They pulled out their weapons as their "company" came closer.

It was Issak Fernand von Kåmpfer and Radu Barvon.

"Issak? Radu? What the hell? I thought these guys were dead?!" Leon exclaimed.

* * *

Drip… 

Drip…

Drip….

Water droplets echoed as they fell from the ceilings above Abel, Esther, and Noelle as they walked down the dimly lit tunnel, which was lit by a few torches placed in holders on the wall. Esther looked around and saw spiders on the webs and bugs, like centipedes, crawl passed her feet. Fear had re-entered her eyes and heart. She squeaked lightly at the sight of them as she held her hands timidly by her chest and moved a bit closer to Abel.

He looked over at Esther as he noticed her fearful behavior. He took a step closer to her so that they were now side-by-side. He bent his head closer to her ear and whisper, "Why are you so afraid? I'm right here. Don't worry."

She blinked away the tears that nipped the corners of here eyes and let her hands fall down to her sides as she said, "You're right. I'm sorry." She giggled lightly and nervously. "This whole castle just gives me the creeps. That's all." She looked at him with a small smile of hope.

"I know. I feel that way too." He said back as he gave her a beautiful, clam smiled. But soon, he snapped a cold stare out into the darkness as he stopped and he put a protect arm out in front of Esther.

She looked up at him. Seriousness spread throughout his face. "Abel," she spoke softly, "what's wrong?"

He didn't answer. He just stared coldly out into the darkness where a familiar voice came from and footsteps echoed with each step the owner of the voice took.

"My, my. Look who we have here." It said and the owner came closer to the to show himself. It was Dietrich von Lohengrin. "My sweet, dear Esther and her little abomination of a priest."

"Dietrich!" Esther gasped, as Abel's eyes grew wide.

"Dietrich," he mumbled, " but that can't me him. Cain killed him. I saw with own two eyes."

Esther looked back at Abel. "He's dead? But he's right here in front of us!"

"Yes, you say I'm 'dead'," he said slyly, "but if I was 'dead' could I do this?" He swiped his hand down toward them.

Suddenly, Esther's arms were pinned back behind her painfully and she was lifted off the ground slightly by her neck and Abel was wrapped with clear wires. She groaned at the pain as Abel yelled, "Esther!" He glared at Dietrich. "You bastard!" He said. "Nanomachine Crusnik 02. Power input: 80 percent. Acknowledged." He transformed into his Crusnik and broke through the wires.

"If you think that I'll fall for that again." Dietrich had said while Abel transformed.

Abel had sliced through the wires, which trapped Esther to set her free, with his claws. She had fallen down onto the ground as she had coughed and held her neck.

"Think again." Dietrich said slowly and slyly as Abel lunged toward him, however, something pierced Abel's back painfully. It was a dagger. Abel wailed at the pain from it.

"Abel!" Esther yelled in worry as Dietrich smirked.

He turned and saw Noelle, but something was different about her. She was grinning sinisterly and the darkness of evil shone in her eyes. But, what was most shocking was that what was on her worn, tattered habit. It was sprayed fresh blood: Abel's blood.

His eye's had grown wide as he realized what happened. "Noelle?" He gasped, his voice raspy.

"You wouldn't be getting to _Master_ Cain anytime soon." She said as she drew out another dagger.

"Or at all." Dietrich added amusingly.

Esther moved closer to Abel as Dietrich and Noelle moved toward them. "What's going on?" She asked him.

"They're not human." He told her.

"What?! How could––how could that be possible?" She gasped.

"They're clones of ice." He said in his scratchy voice.

"Clones?" She repeated softly.

* * *

Leon and Tres stood ready in battle mode. "Radu and Issak? What the hell? I thought these guys were dead!" Leon said. 

"Positive. Radu Barvon and Issak von Kåmpfer are both dead. Sensors indicate mixtures of their flesh and blood along with ice and sorcery." Tres reported.

"Sorcery? You mean magic?"

"Affirmative." Tres said as Issak and Radu, who had a ball of blue flame in his right hand, approached them.

Leon drew out some of his sharp throwing disks and said as he grinned, "All right. All we have to do is to passed dumb and dumber here to reach the White Demon."

* * *

Noelle threw a dagger at Abel and Esther. It grazed passed their cheeks and when it hit the ground, it turned into ice and shattered into a million pieces. Blood trickled down her cheek as he healed himself with his nanomachines. 

Dietrich had snapped his fingers and his puppet of dead vampires surround them.

"These clones are clones made from ice and magic." Abel explained as her cut though a bunch of vampire hunters (a/n: that's what we'll call them 'cause I don't know the official name), who had jumped to attack them, with his scythe. "Stella made clones of the people who we know that are dead to trick us." He cut through two more that tried to attack Esther. Esther drew out her shotgun and fired it twice at another vampire hunter.

In time, they killed most of them. Just two were left. And Dietrich made them attack Esther. She lined up her shotgun, ready to kill them, however, when she went to fire, it made a clicking noise and didn't fire! "Oh, no! I'm all out of bullets!" She softly gasped. One vampire hunter swung his ax and cut her on her arm. She fell down from the force as she screamed.

"Esther!!" Abel's metallic voice cried. He growled and lunched at the two vampire hunters, and with one clean swipe of his scythe, both vampire hunters, who were cut into two pieces, fell onto the cold, wet ground.

Esther held her wound to stop it from bleeding as she looked at Abel as he breathed heavily from the use of his strength.

He had been hunched over and had been staring at the ground. He lifted his head and looked up at her. "Ar-Are you all right, Esther?" He asked, his calm, worried voice hidden beneath the metallic sound of his Crusnik.

She nodded.

"My poor pets!" Dietrich exclaimed. "You shall pay for that!" He yelled and extended his hand toward Abel. The wires flew toward Abel and wrapped around his neck, wrists, and ankles. Abel, whose eyes grew wide in pain as he dropped his scythe onto the ground, roared as he was lifted off the ground and the wire was tightened around his neck.

"Abel!!" Esther cried out in worry as she went to stood up to help him, however, Noelle threw a dagger at her and it pinned the hem of her habit down to the ground.

"You won't be helping him." Noelle said as she held three more daggers by her face like a fan. "Your opponent is me." She threw the three daggers all at once. They breezed pass Esther, cutting her other arm and both legs slightly.

Dietrich, who grinned wickedly, meanwhile, tightened the grip on the wires that held Abel.

Abel wailed louder at the pain and tried to bring his right hand over to the wires that held is left wrist and neck to cut them, however, he struggled greatly to bring it over. Finally he did and cut the two wires; then he quickly cut the one holding his right wrist and the two holding his legs. He fell to the ground and grabbed his scythe as Dietrich gasped, "I-Impossible!"

"Dietrich!!!!" Abel yelled as blue electricity flowed around himself and his wings.

* * *

(a/n: this is the part i had writer's block.) 

"Target locked." Tres said as he fired his gun and shot multiple times at Issak. Issak just drew a magical shield and protected himself.

Leon through one of his sharp throwing disks at Radu, however, Radu just melted it with his blue flame. "Your stupid, little toys won't hurt me, you damned priest!" Radu spat.

"What the hell? How are we supposed to kill these guys?" Leon muttered questionly.

Tres continued to fire at Issak. Finally, he ran out of bullets.

"Soon you'll be all out of bullets; then what are you going to do?" Issak asked smoothly and slyly.

Tres reloaded and fired again at Issak. Issak just placed his magic barrier in front of himself.

"You're wasting your damn time you filthy priest!" Issak proclaimed as he cast a spell. Red gargoyles appeared and attacked Tres. Tres shot at them multiple times and killed them.

Issak snarled and Tres moved behind him with great speed and fired at him. "0.54 seconds late." Tres said as he fired. Issak turned and placed the magic barrier behind him as one bullet hit him in his side and he winced at the pain.

"Foolish priest." Issak said with a painful smile. He began to chant a powerful spell.

Leon jumped back to avoid Radu's flame. He had nearly lost his balance, so he kneeled down. He reached into his pocket of his cloak and pulled out a piece of folded paper as he said, "Looks like I have no choice but to use this." He glared at Radu as Radu grinned unbearably.

* * *

Meanwhile, Noelle walked toward Esther, who was still pinned to the ground by the dagger, as Noelle said. "Too bad. I wanted to kill you. However, it seems I ran all out of daggers. But, I still have my fists." She went to kick Esther upside the head, however, Esther moved out of the way causing the hem of her habit to rip free. She tried to punch Esther this time with her fist, but Esther blocked it with her arm. She tried again and Esther did the same. 

"I am much stronger that I was three and a half years ago." Esther told her.

"I see that." Noelle wheezed.

They both jumped backwards a bit. Then, Noelle went to kick Esther upside the head again. But, Esther leaned slightly to her right and grabbed Noelle's leg and threw her against the wall next to them. Noelle hit the wall with a light yelp and shattered into millions of pieces of ice.

Abel flew toward Dietrich as Abel roared loudly. He tightened his grip on his scythe and swung it toward Dietrich, who stood there frozen with his eyes wide open. Abel stabbed Dietrich in the heart with the end of his scythe. Dietrich turned into ice and then shattered into a million pieces.

Abel looked down at the floor as he caught his breath.

* * *

Leon threw the folded piece of paper at Radu as Radu quenched it with his blue flames. As soon as the flames touched it, it exploded. Red and blue flames, along with other debris, flew up around him. Leon ducked in cover and so did Tres as Issak and Radu both turned into ice and shattered into millions of pieces. 

After the explosion calmed down and smoke still filled the hallway, Leon sat up straight as he coughed heavily. "What the hell?! That stupid Professor! He's going to get it when I get back! What was he thinking giving me a thing like that?! He could have killed us!"

"Negative Father Leon." Tres said as he stood up, debris and dirt falling off him.

"Pssht! Whatever." Leon mumbled as he stood up and brushed himself off.

* * *

Esther, who had clutched her wound on her left arm, looked over at Abel. His black wings and scythe had disappeared. He was hunched over still and breathing heavily. She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him to support him. "Abel? Are you all right?" She asked softly. 

"Yes." He whispered solemnly.

"Are–– are you sure?" She asked him again.

He stood up tall and answered again, "Yes." He slipped his glasses on and looked at her worried face; then he looked straight at her wound on her arm, as blood still fell from it down her arm and onto the floor as it stained her white habit. His eyes grew wide at the sight. "Esther, you are wounded." He gasped, disbelievingly.

She nodded. "I'm okay though." She smiled. "It's nothing to worry about."

He looked at her solemnly. "No, Esther. It's not. This is a severe wound." He grabbed her right wrist gingerly and pulled her closer to him; then he turned her around.

"What are you doing, Abel?" She asked. Then she felt his hands undoing the buttons on her back to her habit. "A-Abel?!" She gasped, as she turned red.

"Hold still." He instructed. "I'm just going to fix your wound." He had undone her button and could see her lacey slip. He slid her left sleeve past her wound. He looked at her bare skin. It was beautiful to him.

He looked at her wound. It was a half-inch deep, blood, which had and was flowing down her arm, stained her skin. He pulled her closer to her and bent his head down toward her arm. He licked the blood that was flowing away her arm away. He felt her jerk away slightly as goose bumps formed on her body. Her blood tasted sweet to him, even though he was supposed to drink the blood of other vampires, he liked her blood. Of coarse, he wouldn't let it go to his head.

He continued to lick around her wound clean and when it was clean, he stopped. He pulled out a handkerchief out from his pocket in his cloak and tied it around her wound. He slid her sleeve back up and buttoned her back up again. "There," he said, "you're done."

She missed the cool sensation from his tongue against her skin. She just nodded and looked into his eyes and he into hers. Their lips seemed to be drawn together by magnets and soon their lips meet into a passionate kiss.

* * *

review please! the more reviews i get the faster i'll update!! 


	23. Scene 23 Surprises

**hey guys! waaah! im so so so so so so sorry that i havent updated in like forever! O.o i was super busy with school and soccer i had like either a practice or a game like every day! even saturday! and this past weekend i was away on a retreat thingy with my church! and on top of all of that i had a MAJOR case of WRITER'S BLOCK for this story! it wasn't till today that i thought of a good idea for this chapter (hehe thought of it in world history class hehe)  
**

* * *

Chapter 23: Surprises 

Cain sat on his throne. Stella bowed before him. "Master Cain," she spoke, "it seems our _guests_ have defeated our _welcoming presents_."

"I know." He replied. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. I have a trick card up my sleeve."

You see this is all, but a game to him: nothing more than just pure entertainment.

†

Lady Catherine sat in her and Tabitha's room as she sipped some tea. She breathed in its aroma and took another sip. "Not as good as Sister Kate's." She commented. She set the cup down on the table and sighed.

Suddenly, a giant explosion rumbled the castle. Lady Catherine stood up in worry as Tabitha, who was in her bed sleeping as she hugged her little teddy bear, woke up and screamed. Tabitha ran out of her bed and over to Lady Catherine. Lady Catherine wrapped a guiding arm around Tabitha and led her out to the hallway to search for the Empress, Seth.

Seth had met up with Lady Catherine and Tabitha halfway down the hallway towards Seth's and her rooms. "Lady Catherine!" She exclaimed.

"Empress Seth, what is going on?"

"We're under attack by… Terran ships, we suppose. I have a hunch, however, that it isn't so."

"I see." Lady Catherine said as calm as ever.

"Anyway, follow me. I'll lead you to safety." Seth said and took Lady Catherine's hand and led her and Tabitha to safety.

†

Seth had led them to a secret room behind a bookshelf in Seth's room. The hidden room was dark and small. There was a couch and lamp on a small table that needed to be turned on. "You'll be safe in here. No body will find you in here." Seth told them.

Lady Catherine nodded as she turned to Seth. "What about yourself, Your Majesty?"

"I'll go and assist my children." She said with a serious face, but then, she smiled cutely as she said, "Please, Catherine, call me Seth."

Lady Catherine nodded. Another explosion was heard and rumbling was felt.

"Well then, I must go." Seth said as she worryingly looked behind her.

"Good luck; God bless. I'll send you allies if you need help."

"Thank you. Be safe." Seth said and closed the secret room.

The light was shut out of the room. Lady Catherine stared at the back of the bookshelf. "You too." She said, even though Seth couldn't hear her.

Tabitha turned on the lamp to lighten up the dark room and snuggled her teddy bear and herself into a ball as she sat on the couch. _"Lord, please let Mama-Esther and Papa-Abel be safe."_ She prayer silently as tears began to weld up in her eyes. She blinked them away.

Lady Catherine set up a hologram communication system to contact her AX members back at the Vatican. After she got it booted up, a blurry image, which kept going in and out for a while, of Sister Kate appeared on the screen. "Sister Kate. Do you hear me, Sister Kate?"

Sister Kate's image almost became crystal clear. "Lady Catherine!" She exclaimed looking worried.

"Sister Kate, I need you to send some back up to the Empire. We are under attack here." Lady Catherine said as calm as always.

"Wha-What?!" Sister Kate gasped. "Your Eminency, we're under attack as well!"

Lady Catherine's eyes grew wide. "What?" She gasped.

An explosion sounded and shook the building where Sister Kate was. Pieces of ceiling fell around her, a trail of dust followed behind them. "Your Eminency, what should we do?"

Lady Catherine thought for a moment. She acted quickly, after that brief moment. "Call Gunslinger and Dandelion back. Send the Iron Maiden II." She paused for a second; then continued, "Tell Abel, not to worry; we can hold them off with no problem and that we'll help him and Esther as soon as everything is settled here.

"Yes, Your Eminency." Sister Kate said. "Iron Maiden logging off."

The hologram screen fuzzed; then disappeared. Lady Catherine sighed deeply. _"What are we going to do if Abel dies again? How are we going to stop this damn war? How are we going to protect the people of the Empire and of the world?" _She wondered silently.

Tabitha's voice broke her thoughts, "Lady Catherine? Do you think Esther and Abel are all right?" Her voice cracked a bit due from the lack of use and the lump in her throat.

Lady Catherine walked over to the couch and wrapped her arms around the scared little girl. "I'm sure they're just fine." She said as she embraced her.

†

Abel and Esther, who were still walking down though the dark tunnel that was dimly lit by torches, stopped when they saw a water system before them. Abel looked and saw a gondola like boat. He walked over to it as he said. "This way."

Esther nodded and followed him.

Abel place one foot into the boat to hold it steady as he held out his right hand to help Esther into the boat. She took it with a small smile and stepped into the boat. He smiled back at her; then he stepped into the boat and grabbed the long pole used to row the boat. With the pole, he pushed off the edge of the ground, and the boat began to flow down the underground river.

Esther, who was sitting down in the gondola like boat, held her wound, which was on her left arm, lightly as Abel pushed the pole on the bottom of the river to row it down the underground river.

"Abel?" She spoke up with wondering tone.

"Yes?" He replied calmly and curiously.

"Dou you think that Tabitha is all right?" She asked. Her gaze going from looking at the water to his back as he continued to gracefully row the boat.

He smiled a bit at the thought of Tabitha. "Yes, I do. You know, Tres told me that she's in the Empire," he paused, "with my sister."

"You have a sister?" She asked surprised.

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" He asked. He didn't wait for her answer. He just chuckled lightly and continued, "The Empress is my sister."

"Seth is your sister?!" She gasped as she practically leaped over to him, shaking the boat wildly around. Water splashed around and on them.

"Esther!" He gasped as he turned to her. "Please­­–– please sit still." He said nervously.

She sat back sharply, the boat still shaking. "S-Sorry!" She squeaked.

"It's fine." He replied with a chuckle. The boat stopped shaking. "Well, at least we didn't fall in––" He spoke to soon. He lost his balance and nearly fell into the dirty, cold water.

"Abel!" Esther gasped as she leaped to grab his hand. However, he had leaned forward and fell on his butt. And she had landed on top of his body. The boat shook around a bit, before it calmed down again. She opened her eyes to 'see Abel's priest's cloak. She looked up and saw Abel's confused, surprised, and relived face.

"Are you all right, Esther?" He asked. She nodded and wrapped her arms around his torso.

"I can stay like this forever." She mumbled.

He smiled and placed a gloved hand on her head and rubbed it gently. "Me too." He said as the boat continued to float down the underground river.

†

Tres and Leon came to the end of the hallway. There was a bolted metal door at the end. Tres stepped in front of Leon as he drew out his guns and said, "Target locked." He aimed this guns skillfully, "Commence fire." He shot at the metal door millions of times. Finally, he stopped his fire as he placed his guns away and said, "Mission complete."

Leon walked over to the door and kicked it open. It slammed onto the ground with a bang and rattled. Leon stepped through the door way first. "What the hell? We're back outside!" Leon exclaimed into Tres's face.

Before Tres could say anything back, Sister Kate's voice came onto their earpiece radios:

"Gunslinger; Dandelion. This is an emergency."

"Sister Kate," Tres's robotic voiced answered, " what seems to be the situation?"

Her fuzzy voice came back on. "The Vatican is under attack. We need your help back here."

"Yeah? Well, what about Abel and Esther? We need to help them defeat the evil master mind behind all this." Leon shouted angrily.

"Father Leon, this is no time to be arguing! Her Eminency, herself, told me to go bring you two back here."

Leon sighed, "Fine."

†

Back at the Vatican, Cardinal Francesco di Medici sat beside his half-brother, the Pope, Alessandro XVIII. Alessandro shrunk back at his fear of the explosions and the glares he was receiving from his half brother and the higher-ranking Fathers in the room.

"Well, Your Holiness," an old-looking Father, who wore a simple black gown and a gold cross necklace around his neck, and his face had wrinkles and he had grey hair, began, "what do you suggest we do?"

Alessandro looked back and forth from the Fathers and his half brother, Francesco, nervously. "Um…" he began softly.

Francesco didn't allow him to speak. "I suggest that we attack the Empire! It is the who are attacking us, so we should attack them before they dominate us!"

Most the Fathers agreed with him:

"They did attack us."

"It's only sense that we attack as well, instead of retreating."

"If we don't put an end to this now, who knows what those vampire would do to us!"

Francesco smiled at his followers.

However, Alessandro didn't like this. He knew the Methuselah didn't wish to harm them. "Um… Brother," he spoke up softly, "I don't think that the Methuselah––"

Francesco cut him off, " 'Methuselah'? We don't call those filthy vermin 'Methuselah'! They're shall be called what they are! Vampires! Vampires!"

Alessandro shrunk back in fear of him. "But Brother I really think that maybe…"

"That's enough, you two." A familiar voice commanded.

Alessandro, Francesco, and the rest of the Fathers there turned to she a hologram of Lady Catherine as she floated down the walkway to Alessandro and Francesco.

"Sister!" Alessandro perked up.

"Catherine! What are you doing here?" Francesco asked in a growling tone.

"I've come because one of my AX members told me that the Vatican was being attack." She said calmly as she stood before them.

"Catherine! You then know that it is those filthy vampires who have done this!" Francesco barked.

"I do know," she began calmly, "however, it isn't the Methuselah who have attack us."

Francesco interrupted her, "You say that but do you have prove?" He glared down at her.

She narrowed her eyes and met his glare. "Yes, I do. The Empire is also being attack as we speak. Do you not remember, Francesco, that I am in the Empire?"

He almost choked on his words. "I-I­­–– Yes, I know that."

"I have told you the truth, Francesco." She said; then, seriously, but kindly turned to her younger brother. "Your Holiness, I suggest that we clear up the attackers here; then assist the Empire."

Alessandro smiled at his sister gratefully. He was about to answer her, when Francesco spoke,

"Catherine! How could you tell us that those vampires are not attacking us? Care to enlighten us for a moment?" He smiled deceivingly, "If they are not, then who is?

"The Rosenkreuz Orden." She replied. "The enemy of the world." She looked back from Francesco, who was taken aback at her reply, to Alessandro. "Your Holiness, I suggest that you act now."

Alessandro snapped back into reality and nodded. "I-I order, that we should defeat and attack the attackers here in Rome. Then, send ally troops to the Empire as soon as possible."

Lady Catherine nodded in agreement to his response. "Well, I must go now. Thank you, Your Holiness." The hologram blurred and disappeared.

Alessandro sadly looked at were his sister (well the hologram of his sister) once had stood. He looked back at the people in the room. "Well, you- you heard my or-orders. Now let's get to it."

"Uh, yes. Your Holiness, yes." They replied as they began to prepare for the battle.

†

The gondola slightly bumped off a cement dock. Abel took one step of the gondola to hold the boat there while Esther got out with his help. She hopped out and turned to him with a smile as he fully stepped out of the boat. He smiled back at her. But suddenly, he heard Sister Kate's voice on his earpiece:

"Abel?"

"Sister Kate? What's the matter?" He asked.

"Abel, the Vatican and Empire are being attacked." She told him calmly.

Esther and Abel's eye's both grew wide as they both thought, _"Tabitha!"_

"How is everybody doing? Seth, Lady Catherine, …Tabitha?" He asked her.

"Seth is holding the front at the Empire and Lady Catherine and Tabitha are both safe from danger."

Abel sighed. "That's good." He paused. "Esther and I will be on our way there."

"Abel, Lady Catherine doesn't want you to come." Sister Kate said.

"What? But she needs help, doesn't she?"

"No. She wants you to defeat Cain. She doesn't want you to worry. We'll back you up as soon as everything is settled here."

Abel smiled. "That's exactly like Catherine."

"Well, Abel, good luck."

"Yes, you too."

"Iron maiden logging off."

The earpiece beeped and the communication was dead. He turned to Esther. "Come on, we must hurry."

Esther, who looked very worried, became more serious and nodded.

* * *

**author's note:** hehe did you like the little cross thingys i added to divide scences? you know they only way i can get really go ideas, is if i listen to the trinity blood soundtrack with all the background music in the anime! i love this soundtrack! gives me all my good ideas! (musiclover!!!) i'm sorry this was kind of short. i wanted to make it longer but i ran out of brain power...-.- so yeah, now off to read some fanfiction and watch anime! REVIEW PLEASE! i love reading your reviews! they encourage me a lot! 


	24. Scene 24: Choices

GOMEN!!! i am soooooo sorry that haven't updated in two months! school, soccer, basketball, normal life, parties, florida trip, church, friends, homework, christmas shopping!, writing other fanfics and non-fanfics!!! im soooo busy! but now that it's christmas vacation i finally got the chance to update (FINALLY!!!!) thanks for waiting sooo long! and thanks for reading but now dont forget to review! i love them and you guys who do! i'll really try to update more often from now onw okay!

* * *

Chapter 24: Choices

Abel looked over to the wall of the dimly lit tunnel area by the underground river. On the wall was a metal handles coming out from the wall. "Come on." He said like a command, but a gentle one. Esther followed him over to the wall. Together they climbed upward.

At the top of the ladder, Abel lifted a metal door and peaked out of it into a dark room. He opened it all the way and let it down on the floor above him. He climbed out; then, he helped Esther out. She stood before him as she brushed her habit off. When she stopped, she looked at him and smiled. He smiled back at her and took her arm gently as he hooked hers with his. They turned around together, to see a long, dark hallway that had on either side a row of cracked mirrors, which seemed to go on forever.

She looked at him, worried on what to do. His face had become serious. He looked straight ahead and nodded. Together, they walked onward, down the cryptic dark hallway.

Esther looked at her reflection and Abel's in the cracked mirrors as they walked. She looked sadly at it. She looked at Abel's face in his reflection. It had grown completely serious. She turned her head to look at his real face and seen that it had grown serious. To lighten his mood, she snuggled up against his arm.

He looked down at her and smiled at her affection.

The two approached a giant black-iron gate that was covered in rust. Abel stopped and turned around to face Esther. He placed his two hands on her shoulders. "Esther," he began, "I want you to stay here."

"Abel! I can't––"

"Esther, you must. Cain," he paused for a second to lower his tone, "Cain is beyond this gate. I know it. Please, Esther. Please, just wait here for me. If you need to get out of the palace, go and run into the gardens. I'll meet you there. Just don't follow me," he stopped at looked into her eyes, which had began to water and tear.

A tear fell down her cheek. "But, Abel, you can't just go on your own," she started.

"Esther! That man in there will kill you if you were with me! Please, I don't want you to be harmed. If you were hurt, in anyway, I would practically kill myself for letting you get hurt. Please, Esther," he wiped away her tears as he lowered his tone, "please, understand."

She nodded as she breathed in a shaky breath. "I understand, Abel. Just… just please stay safe! I can't let anything to happen to you!" She latched herself around him in a hug. His serious face softened and he embraced her.

"Esther…." He whispered as he hugged her back.

"I love you, Abel." She said as she buried her face into his chest.

He chuckled lightly. "I love you too, Esther." He broke the hug to look into her eyes. "Esther, promise me that you'll be safe."

She looked back into his eyes. "Only you if you'll promise me."

"It's settled then." He said and leaned down to meet her lips. She met his halfway into a passionate kiss. They didn't want to part. They didn't want to let go of this feeling of love, warmth, and peace. However, they had too. So, they did. They looked into each other eyes sadly for one last time. Abel, unwillingly, turned to the rusty black-iron gate and opened it with a screechy creak.

The creak was like Esther's heart as she watched him go behind the black-iron gate. He turned to her as he closed the door with a bang. She walked ––more like ran–– up to the gate and grabbed his hand. She longed for him to not leave her behind. His glacier-blue eyes filled with sorrow told her that he felt the same way.

He slipped his hand through the rust black-iron bars to touch her face. He cupped her cheek in his hand and wiped away the fresh new set of tears, which streamed down her face. "Please don't cry. I'll be back as soon as I can. Wait for me."

She nodded as she cuddled up to his hand and smiled. "I will."

"That's my girl." He said with a smile. He pulled his hand back and gave her one last loving look, before turning away and walking to the darkness.

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed as she watched him disappear into the darkness alone.

†

A giant airship let out attack. It hit the southern tower of the castle in the Empire. Seth, who stood near by her army, flinched at the rumble of the explosion. She looked up to see the tower, which had been hit, was burning. Her eyes grew wide at the sight. _"That's were Caterina (Catherine) and little Tabitha are!"_ She exclaimed silently.

One of her high ranking generals, Baibars, came up to her saying, "Milady, we must attack soon, or else the enemy will have the advantage."

Seth narrowed her eyes as she looked at the sinister airship. "I know." She replied.

†

Lady Caterina sat on the couch in the secret room impatiently, but calmly, as she waited for this battle to be over. Tabitha, who tightly held her teddy bear, was curled up into a ball next to her. "Lady Caterina," Tabitha spoke in a small voice, "I'm scared."

Lady Caterina gave her a small smile as she said, "Don't worry, we'll be safe." Tabitha nodded and hugged her teddy bear tighter.

Suddenly, a loud explosion was heard and the room shook around them. Lady Caterina winced at the explosion and then, looked at the back of the bookshelf, where the secret entrance was. Something in Seth's room walked pass it, stopping the light from streaming in for a split second.

She turned to Tabitha and whispered, "Tabitha, turn off the lamp." Tabitha nodded and moved over to turn off the lamp. The room was filled with darkness again except for the small stream of light coming through the bookshelf. "Don't make a sound." Lady Caterina said.

Another shadow passed by the crack. Sweat dripped down Lady Caterina's bow. The shadow disappeared. Lady Caterina let her breath go in relief. However, the shadow returned. A bright red eye looked at Lady Caterina and Tabitha through the crack.

†

"All right, everyone! Battle stations!" Francesco barked. The Fathers ran about the meeting room preparing different tasks for the battle. "Come on, everyone! We don't have all day!"

Alessandro flinched at his half-brother's yelling. "Brother, I––I think that you should calm your voice down a bit––"

"Your Holiness, this a war! If we don't prepare an attack and pull our defense together, we might just die! And I suggest you get to safety as soon as possible! Urgh! Where are Petro and Paula?"

"We are here and ready, Brother Francesco." A woman's voice calmly said.

Alessandro and Francesco looked to see Brother Petro and Sister Paula bowing in respect on the red carpet stretched out before them. Petro stood up, holding his giant mechanical lance in his right hand, and said, "Your Holiness, we need to get out of here and to safety. You have no need to be involved with this battle, Your Holiness. Sister Paula and I will keep you safe, in the name of God."

Paula stood up beside Petro. "Quickly, Your Holiness, we need to leave now."

Alessandro slowly nodded. "All––All right." He agreed with a timid voice.

†

Esther, with her hands on the bars of the gate, slid down it and fell onto her knees to kneel on the ground. Her lip quivered. Abel had left. He had left her alone in the darkness. She took a deep breath as she told herself silently, _"Come one, Esther, be brave for Abel! He'll be back soon. All you have to do is find a way out of here and to the gardens." _She had stood up and had begun to walk back down the hallway of broken mirrors.

She was scared and alone as she walked down the cool, dark hallway of mirrors. She looked around. "Something's–– Something's different about this place." She told herself.

Something had changed. The hallway seemed to stretch on forever and so did the broken mirrors along with the darkness.

"Well, well. Looks like we meet again, little Miss Queenie." A female voice called from behind her.

Esther turned to see whoever spoke to her. But, no one was there. "Who––Who's there?" She asked in a timid, yet brave, voice.

"Over here." A sly voice came from behind her.

Esther turned back around to see Stella, who wore a sly grin and had her arms crossed. Esther's eyes grew wide; she knew she was in deep trouble.

Stella waved slightly. "Miss me?"

†

Abel briskly walked up a case of long, winding stone steps. He was climbing up a dark tower, making his way toward Cain. The moonlight fell onto him as it shone through the rough carved out window in the stone wall of the tower. He looked up through the window into the two moons: the human's moon and the vampire's moon. He narrowed his eyes and with the most serious face he said, "Cain, I sense that you're watching me, consider this a warning: nothing that you send against me will stop me, you hear, and when we do finally battle, believe me, victory will be mine. I will win and you will pay for all the people, Terran and Methuselah both, that you've have killed and hurt in the name of your sick little game. I am coming for you, Cain, and I will kill you!" He stopped looking at the moons and looked up the winding stone staircase. He started to walk again.

†

Cain sat on his throne, his chin resting on this folded hands. He giggled evilly. "Abel, Abel, Abel. If and when we do finally battle, believe me, your body shall be mine." He unfolded his hands and leaned back in his throne. "Melchisedec, come here."

A boy, who had tan skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes and looked around 15 or 16, came out from the shadows and bowed before him. "Yes, Milord?" His calm and soothing voice asked.

"I have an assignment for you. I want you to duel my bother."

Melchisedec looked up at his lord with an everlasting sly smile. "I will, Milord." He stood up to leave.

"And, Melchisedec," called Cain.

Melchisedec turned. "Yes, Milord?" He asked.

"I want you to kill him. It will save me the hassle of killing him myself." Cain said as he folded his fingers together and rested his chin on them.

"Yes, Milord." He said with a beautiful smile.

Cain narrowed his eyes in pleasure. "Good."

†

Lady Caterina's eyes grew wide as she saw the crack in the bookshelf grow wider and bigger as the red-eyed thing behind it hacked away at it with an axe. Soon, there was a hole where the little crack had been Lady Caterina narrowed her eyes at the hole.

One of Dietrich's Auto Jaggers (**a/n:** those things that I thought were called 'vampire hunters' yeah…) looked inside the hole as Lady Caterina gasped. It saw them and broke down the bookshelf. It leapt toward Lady Caterina and Tabitha with a swing of his axe. Tabitha screamed as she saw it coming closer toward them.

†

Alessandro looked around his surroundings with fearful eyes. He was following Brother Petro and Sister Paula down a sewer-like tunnel. He stopped and looked down by his feet. A long rat scurried past him with a squeak. He lifted up his leg, to let the rat go past, with a squeak of his own. He looked at Brother Petro and Sister Paula as they started to disappear in the thick darkness ahead of him. He ran after them with a fearful look that he would be left behind. He looked at Sister Paula and asked in a high, uncertain voice, "Sis––Sister Paula, where are we?"

"We are underneath the Vatican, Your Holiness." She replied.

"Oh." He said.

†

Father Tres and Father Leon walked into the courtyard of the Vatican as an explosion rumbled in the distance. It was night and the Vatican was dark compared to the other night when it was fully lit. The Professor, Father William, saw them first and said matter-of-factly, "Father Tres, Father Leon, it's good to see that you made it."

"Professor," Leon spat sourly as he practically leapt on top of Father William to kill him, "You! –– You almost killed Tres and I!" He took a grip on William's collar of his cloak and yanked it up a bit to look him in the eye.

Father William gave a fake grin like he knew nothing as he gulped. "Now, what did _I_ do, Father Leon?"

"That explosive you gave me was very dense! I was seconds away from death!" Leon explained as he shook William's collar of his cloak.

"That's enough, Father Leon." Father Vaclav said. "We don't have time to argue."

Leon, with an annoyed look on his face, let William's collar go and William fell to the ground as an explosion blew up in the far distance.

"Father Vaclav, what are the stasis and commands?" Tres robotically asked.

"His Holiness, Brother Petro, and Sister Paula have left for shelter. And Brother Francesco has granted us permission to do whatever we need to stop this enemy."

"I say we should blow up that thing. Say, where did you put that explosive, Professor?" Leon sarcastically asked.

"Actually, what I gave you was only a test sample and I haven't got the change to make more." William simply said as he sucked lightly on the end of his pipe.

Leon grabbed William's collar once more as he gave him a frustrated look and said between his teeth, "So, Professor, you gave me a _test sample_?"

"Well, all is done now. Look, you're still here in once piece." William said nervously.

"Father Leon, let Professor go right now! We have work to do!" Sister Kate scolded.

Leon rolled his eyes as he let him go. "All right? What do we do?"

Father William brushed the imaginary dust off of himself. "I think I have a plan that just might work."

†

"Fire!" Astharoshe yelled as she pointed her spear of Gae Bolg. The tanks that stood next to her fired with all their might.

"Astharoshe!"

Astharoshe looked to see Her Highness, Seth. "My Queen. What is it?"

"I want you to cease fire." She instructed.

"But My Lady! We need to––"

"There are no buts in this matter! This is my order!"

"Yes, Your Majesty. I understand." Astharoshe turned to the army and yelled, "Cease fire! Stop!"

The tanks stop and one of the other generals came up to her and said, "What is the meaning of this Astharoshe! We just cannot cease our fire in the middle of this war!"

"This is Her Highness's Order!" Seth barked. (This other general never saw the Queen's true form.)

"Oh, yeah, and who are you little girl? A brat like you shouldn't be in this place!" He scoffed.

Her eyes turned red as she turned into her Crusnik, as she said, "I am Augusta Vradica, the empress of the New Human Empire, and I am very displease with your manners, Lieutenant!"

The Lieutenant trembled back in fear and embarrassment for what he had just done. "For-Forgive me, Your Highness! I had no idea––"

"Just go back to your duty."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" He said as he slowly backed up in fear; then quickly read back to his post."

Seth looked at Astharoshe. "Lady Astharoshe, we are going to fight: hand–to–hand. We can destroy these battle ships with just the two of us. Are you ready?"

Astharoshe looked shocked at first, but her expression calmed down as she narrowed her eyes into a serious face. "I am, Your Highness. Let's go."

†

Esther frantically ran down the dark hallway of broken mirrors. Stella was hot on her trail. She wanted to kill Esther; all for the sake of Cain's wishing. Stella threw an ice dagger at Esther. It sliced passed the wound Esther had received earlier from Dietrich's Auto Jaggers.

Esther clutched the wound as it began to bleed down her arm. She still continued on running. Stella had thrown another ice dagger at Esther and it hit Esther in the back of her calve. Esther felt to the ground from the pain. She began to crawl across the hallway until she couldn't no longer. She pinned her back against a mirror as she trembled in the sight of Stella. "Please! Please, don't hurt me. What have I done to you?"

Stella chuckled at this. "You are a threat to the world; to Cain. That's is why I must!" She plunged a fist toward Esther's face.

Esther leaded back to endure the pain, however, in doing so, she opened a secret door behind the mirror and tumbled backwards into the darkness. Stella took a step inside the darkness. She stomped with her white high-heel shoe the fallen mirror, shattering the glass even more. "You won't get away that easy." Stella ventured into the darkness after her.

†

Abel stepped into the room in the tower, which he had been climbing. It was dark and cold. There was a circle hole cut out in the center of the room and a three-foot high wall enclosing it. His face was serious, ready for battle. He scanned the room for someone: particularly, Cain. He looked at a dark door way. He felt a presence of someone in there. He took a step forward to see if he could see the person hiding in the dark. Still, he couldn't see. He took another step, then another. His attention was all drawn to the darkness of the shadows. It was so drawn, that he didn't see the thin, web-like trap underneath his own feet.

The moon light, which streamed down through the missing sections of wall that were windows, shown down on the web-like trap, making it sparkled for a split second. He noticed that. He looked down and saw it, however it was too late. The trap sprung and the web-like wire made a cocoon-like cadge around him and pulled him to the air. He mentally swore at himself for not noticing the trap before. He looked at the room upside-down now. He blew a stray piece of silver hair put of his eyes as he her footsteps coming toward him for the shadows.

The footsteps belonged to a boy around 15 or 16, who had tan skin, dark brown hair, and brown eyes, as he came into the room with a pleasing smile. "It seems you are nothing more than an irritating fly, who has fallen into the spider's web."

"Who are you?" Abel asked him, seriously.

"Me?" He asked as his smile seemed to change to a flattering one as he flipped his bangs away from his face with a swift movement of his hand. "I am Melchisedec. Would you like me to suck your blood alive? Or would you rather die by my sword?" Melchisedec said innocently as he drew the sword from off of its sheaf on his back. He licked the sword's blade as he drew it. "Your choice." He stood ready to kill.

* * *

i know that was kinda short and not really good, but i'm going to write more (if i can) tomorrow cuz im too tired now (it's almost one in the morning!!) but i will try to write more and maybe update tomorrow but i cant promising about updating tomorrow.

AND HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!


	25. Scene 25: To Live For Death

wooohoooo! after 2 months i finally updated!! yea i know you all hate me for not undating sooner but oh well! u see i am a very very very very very very very very very very very very busy girl! i have basketball which practically takes over ur life, school, church(that's most important!!!), friends, the boy i love, other stories im working on and i have to work on two solos for my school compettion thingy and i have to draw an artpieve for that too plus i have the dreaded science fair to work on!!! (wow i feels like yesterday that we just had one...time flys by sooo fast!!!XD) okay well enough of my excuse making! (all of them are true by the way!) i'll let ou read the chapter! sorry it's a bit short! im a busy girl!!TToTT

* * *

Chapter 25: To Live For Death 

Melchisedec pointed the tip of his sword toward Abel as he stated, "Make your choice!"

Abel looked at him flabbergasted. _"Is this boy serious?"_

Melchisedec grew tired of waiting. He narrowed his eyes and asked, "So what will it be?! Death by the sword or death by my fangs?! You choose!'

"Before I decide, let me ask you a question. Who are you doing this for? For what purpose does my death have in your life?"

"I work for no one. But I wish to please my savior, Mein Herr. He saved me from death: death in the cold mountains of Vanha Suomi. For that, I will repay him by ending you life!"

Abel narrowed his eyes at him. He had no choice but to fight this young boy. _"If I can, I will spare his life."_

†

Esther limply ran across an outside stone balcony. The secret tunnel had leaded her here. She reached the end of the balcony and grabbed onto the railing. She looked down and over the railing, only to see she was three-stories high. She turned around sharply to see Stella on the outside of the balcony. It was just as she had feared. She had gotten away but only to run into a dead end. "Please, don't kill me. I-I––"

"Shut up, fool. I can't take anymore of your whining." Stella said. "'Please, don't kill me.'" She mocked. She snickered. "What else am I supposed to do? Let you go free?"

"Um, yes?" Esther said. She didn't know why she answered and answered that.

"Foolish fool. All fools are the same aren't they? Fools just answer foolishly and act foolishly, only to end up looking foolish, those foolish fools. And you are no different then those fools." Stella said as she slowly and slyly. She had the most mischievous grin on her face and her hands behind her back.

Esther gulped. She didn't like how this was going. She watched Stella. Her eyes grew wide as she gasped.

Stella had pulled out a gun. She rested the top on her cheek. Her smiled seemed to grow more mischievous.

†

The Auto Jagger swung his axe at Tabitha and Lady Catrina. Lady Catrina grabbed Tabitha and leapt out of the way. She pulled out a shotgun and fired at the Auto Jagger. One of the many bullets hit the Auto Jagger Square in the forehead. Its head jerked back at the force, however, it slowly pulled its head forward and looked at them. Catrina pulled back the trigger to fire again. However, she only heard a click noise. "Damn. I'm out of bullets." She said as she chucked the gun to the side and pulled Tabitha close to her body.

†

"So, Professor, this is the plan?" Leon said.

"Yes. The Rosen Kreuz Orden sent these battleships to both the Vatican and the New Human Empire to make them each think that the other was attacking. However, there's one mistake that they made. These battleships aren't the type that the Methuselah care to use. If we lure each of the battleships to this part of the Vatican," Professor explained as he pointed to Saint Peter's Square on a map of the Vatican, "and with the electricity that can run through these ropes, we can stop them all." He held in his hands the thin-wired rope.

"Can I ask this, who's doing what?" Leon asked with an annoyed attitude.

"I will need Tres, Leon, Kate, and Hugue to direct each of the battleships to Saint Peter's Square. While Vaclav and I set the trap." He said as he stood up straight and put the end of his pipe in between his lips.

"Affirmative." Tres said.

†

Seth, as her Crusnik-self, jumped into the air. Her little wings caught the air and she soared toward a battleship. She held in her hands two giant, red tuning forks. She soared over the ship and as she did the ship turned into statue of salt and slowly disaggregated.

Astharoshe leapt from a wall and pierced a battleship with her spear of Gae Bolg. Electricity sparked around the top of the spear. She pulled the spear out from the battleship and wires, with electricity still sparking on the ends, hug out of the large whole. She landed like a cat on to the ground. She stood up tall and pointed her spear at the front of the battleship. "Aaaaaaahhhh!" She screamed her battle cry and shot a blue blast of plasma at the ship. It hit the ship and smoke rose from the blast as it crash-landed into the ground behind her. She ran and shot a blast at the next one. It hit the bottom of the ship and ripped straight through the top.

Seth changed yet another battleship into a salt mess. She looked over at the tower where Lady Caterina and Tabitha were hidden. It was smoking and the flames had seemed to die out. _"They must have thought that I was in that tower and attacked it to kill me. I hope that Lady Catrina and Tabitha are safe!"_

†

Abel's glasses slipped off of his nose and fell to the floor with a clank.

"So, _Priest,_" Melchisedec started, mocking Abel's title, "what will it be?"

Abel closed his eyes. He opened them and his face had grown completely serious. "Nanomachine Crusnik 02. Power input level 80 percent." He said. His eyes turned blood red, his fangs poked out from his lips, his silver hair slipped loose from his black ribbon, and his wings broke threw the spider-like cocoon. He gracefully floated toward the ground.

Melchisedec positioned himself to attack or defend himself at any moment. "So the beast has revealed himself." He smiled. "This shall be one heck of a battle."

Abel silently called for his scythe. It appeared and he gripped it in his hand. "I wish not to harm you. Please step aside. You shouldn't be with the likes of _him_." Abel's scratchy voice spoke.

"I grow impatient for your decision, beast!" Melchisedec shouted. "So I will just have to kill you how I like to: hunt you down for the fun of it, trap you like the little bug you are, and then suck your blood out of your body until there's none left. And when you are finally dead, I shall cut off your head and present it to Mein Herr. He shall be pleased."

Abel narrowed his eyes at the boy. Melchisedec was the same as Ion, in body and attitude. Only Ion was deceived and had found good. Melchisedec had found evil as his home. _"Lord, forgive me and please save this poor lost soul."_ He prayed silently as he gripped his scythe tighter.

†

"Stella, please." Esther gasped as she eyed the gun in Stella's hands.

"Poor, poor, Miss Queenie. All she can do is beg for her life! You hopeless fool!" Stella said as she point the gun at her and took a shot.

Esther flinched as it glided passed her cheek, leaving a scratch to which blood bubbled and trickled down her check. It stained the filthy white habit even more. Tears of fright flowed down her cheeks. _"Lord, save me! Please! I beg you!"_ She prayed.

"Oh, is the fool scared?" She asked with a mocking sense of sympathy. She laughed at Esther.

Esther filled her fists with the skirts of her habit. She glared at Stella. "How can you be so evil? How can you just kill people with such joy! Life is a precious thing! God has given us life to enjoy and to worship Him! How can you waste your life by taking others? If any one is the fool here, it is you, Stella!" She snapped at her.

Stella looked at her with such disgust and surprise. "How dare you speak such words?!" She shouted and fired at Esther's feet. The bullet ricocheted off of the floor of the balcony and flew passed Esther's other cheek. She flinched again. Esther looked up at Stella. Stella looked down at her with anger and spite. "You know nothing of the pain I've suffered! And how Cain rescued me from it all! How I was despised by my family and villagers and how he accepted me." A teardrop splashed onto the ground by Stella's boot. "He didn't see me as an abomination to mankind. I was a witch and more of yet an artificial vampire. But he showed the beauty of my abilities. I will do anything to repay him! Even that means killing!" An insane smile danced across her lips. "I-I-I––"

"You love him. Don't you." Esther asked as she watched Stella. Stella's arm was shaking violently and she was staring at the gun. When Stella had heard Esther's question, she snapped a glare at her.

"You––"

"Don't be alarmed. I knew because I would act the same way." Esther said as she stood up. She leaned on the railing behind her as she placed her hands on her heart. "I too am in love with someone. I'm in love with Abel: the man who wants to kill Cain. So I guess you and I are the same." She said with a smile.

Stella narrowed her eyes at Esther. "Damn you! Don't ever compare me to your foolish self! You are nowhere near my level! You are a weak fool!"

"Still why do you insist that I am a fool? If I am a fool, why do you not kill me?" Esther asked. She stared right into Stella's cold blue eyes. A gust of wind blew. It rustled Stella's long locks of blonde hair and it rustled her locks of red hair.

Stella cracked a smile. "I shall do just that." She raised the gun and pointed it at Esther. She slowly pulled the trigger.

Esther closed her eyes and flinched. She knew it was coming. She heard the explosion of gunpowder in the gun. But the bullet never hit her. She opened her eyes and looked to see Stella onto the floor, the gun held limply in her hands, and a pool of blood coming from out of her chest. Esther immediately rushed to Stella's side. She looked into Stella's pale face. "Why? Why didn't you kill me? Why did you kill yourself?" She asked.

Stella coughed. "You showed me how much sorrow I caused so many people. You showed me how selfish I was being. I could have stopped Cain at any moment. I had that power over him. I could have just came up with a simple plan of me baring his child and his child could finish his plan of taking over the world, but I didn't. I liked the feeling of how I could kill those who had hurt me. I lusted for that feeling more than the feeling of baring Cain's child." She smiled. "I guess this was my fate along. To live and to live for death." She coughed violently. Blood slipped out the corners of her lips. "Just please. Kill Cain. So. That we could… Could live together. Live together in Hell." Her breath faded and eyes rolled to the back of her head. Her grip on the gun left. She was dead….

"_Lord, save this poor soul. Save her please. I beg of you."_ Esther prayed silently.

†

Abel jabbed Melchisedec in the stomach with the end of his scythe. Sweat dripped Abel's brow. Melchisedec limply fell over his scythe. It was an easy battle for the most part. Abel just had to dispel all of Melchisedec's traps and when Abel had gotten close enough to him, he jabbed him in the gut with the end of his scythe.

"He was still just a child after all." A familiar voice said.

Abel spun around to see Cain as he stood in a darkened door way. His burnt red eyes grew wide at the sight of his elder brother.

"How good of it to see you, Abel." He slyly said.

Abel narrowed his eyes. "CAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"


	26. Scene 26: Good Prevails…?

yay! after a month i updated! and can you believe it? march 20th was the one year anniversy of this fanfic! i like to say thank you to all my reviewers who stuck with me since the beginning of with fanfic also with my school friends who have read this! i am sadden to say that this fanfic is almost at its final pages. but dont worry i'm planning on writing a sequeal to this! enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 26: Good prevails…?

"CAIN!!" Abel roared.

"Nice to see you too, my dear brother." Cain said slyly as his eyes began to glow red.

* * *

Leon ran down a pathway in the Vatican. He looked over his shoulder to see if the battleships were following him. It was. He stopped and sharply turned around. He took aim and shot at the battleship with his gun. The bullet hit part of the ship and made a hole in the side. Smoke flowed out of it. He smirked and turned. He continued to run. "That such make them angry."

He turned sharply down a corner on his left and ran into St. Peter's Square. He looked at all the other entranceways to see Kate, Tres, and Hugue entering into St. Peter's Square. Each other them were leading a pack of battle ships. All four of them ran to the obelisk in the center of St. Peter's Square.

William, who was hiding in the entrance to St. Peter's Basilica, flipped a switch to let the electricity flow through the ropes. As the battleships passed through, the battleships blew up into pieces.

Tres and Leon took care of the few battleships that saw the in coming trap and escaped by Tres, shooting his guns, and Leon, firing his bazooka.

Once the battle was over, everyone took a look around at the battlefield. "We did it!" William exclaimed.

* * *

Seth, who had transformed back into looking like a human, narrowed her eyes as she looked at the messy battlefield. She turned to her army behind her. She walked up to them. As she passed Baibars, she said to him, "Chief, clean this mess up."

"Yes, Your Highness." He said as he bowed his head it respect. He lifted his head and shouted, "You heard her! Clean this up!" Each Methuselah began to move quickly to clean the mess up.

Seth began to walk into the entrance of the palace, which was right behind her army. She couldn't hold her composure anymore. She began to run. She ran in worry of Lady Catrina and Tabitha.

Astharoshe, who was in the middle of the battlefield, saw this. "Your Majesty?" She wondered out loud. She casually looked up into the sky. Her eyes widened it fear and worry. She saw the tower that was still smoking. "Those… filthy BASTARDS!!" She yelled and ran in full speed into the palace.

* * *

Abel flew across the room as he swung his scythe at Cain. Cain simply duck to avoid being hit. Cain pointed his hand at Abel and threw a sound wave attack at him.

Abel was thrown back at the force of it and hit his back, hard, on the wall of the tower. He grunted as he furrowed his brow and squeezed his eyes shut. He slid down the wall and hit the floor face first, but only did he quickly place his hands out in front of him to stop himself from hitting his face on the ground.

Abel stood up, tall and strong. He gripped his blood-red scythe.

"You will never defeat me." Cain said in a sly and soothing voice.

"We'll see about that." Abel's scratchy voice replied. He silently called upon his crusnik and changed into his 100 percent crusnik. Blue sparks of electricity flowed on his black bat-like wings. He lifted his scythe and swung it clean across the air. Blue bolts of lightning jumped out from the scythe and flew straight towards Cain.

Cain jumped into the air and dodged the bolts of lightning. He flew toward Abel. A black lance materialized in his hands. He dove and struck at Abel.

Abel lifted his scythe and the two weapons clashed. Both brothers pushed against each other's weapon, hoping to win. They both lifted each other's weapons and the two weapons clashed again.

"That girl…Esther is her name, right?" Cain asked as he pushed his lance against Abel's scythe.

"What about her?" Abel asked bitterly as he drew back his scythe and swung it again. Cain's lance hit his scythe.

"Right about now, she should be dead." A mincing smile danced across Cain's lips.

"WHAT?" Abel gasped. Anger rose up in him. He was mad. No. He was furious. First, Cain had killed the only woman he had closest to a real mother. Now, Cain had killed the only woman he had truly loved. The blue sparks of electricity on his wings grew larger and because of the power in those sparks, Cain backed up.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH! DAMN YOU, CAIN!!" Abel roared as he swung his scythe. Large bolts of lightning flew from his scythe. They headed straight toward Cain.

"Impossible! Such power is impossible!" Cain gasped in terror of what was to come.

* * *

Esther limply ran outside. She was out of the mysterious castle. She was safe away from that labyrinth. _"The gardens. Where are the gardens?"_ She wondered silently as she looked around for them. She spotted something. It was like a giant hedge of thorn bushes. _"That must be it!"_ She ran toward them and into the entrance. She ran down a path until she could not any longer, for she came to a fork in the path. She took the path to her right and ran down it. She turned around the corner, only to come to a thorn blocked dead-end. She turned around sharply. Pain rushed up her leg. She fell and hit her face on the cold, hard stone path. She lifted her head and looked forward. She stood up. She had to ignore the pain for now, because when Abel would come for her, he will make the pain go away.

She jogged back down the path. She came to the same fork in the path and ran straight into the other path. She ran down every path and when she would make a mistake, she turned around and ran the other way.

She limply walked down the path as she dragged her left leg, only to find out than she had reached yet another dead-end. "Damn…" she whispered and turned. She fell on her face again. She was tired and hurt. Pain covered her swore body. She panted. "I can't make it out of this labyrinth of thorns." She could not take it any longer. She lay there to die. For that was all that she could do. "Forgive me. Abel…."

* * *

Seth burst open the door to her room. She looked inside. The room was a wreck. If it wasn't ashes already or slightly burning pieces, it was ripped or torn or broken. She rushed into the secret room as Astharoshe came into the queen's bedroom. Seth stopped dead in her tracks at watch she saw.

Blood.

Anger rose up in Seth as she transformed into her crusnik. Her red tuning forks materialized into her hands. "Curse you! Now die!" She yelled. The Auto-Jagger turned into a pillar of salt and slowly slipped into single particles of salt in which made a pile on the floor. Seth transformed back into her human self.

Astharoshe came into the room soon after. Her eyes widened at the sight. "No. No. How could this have happened?" She asked. "NO!" Astharoshe yelled and pierced the head of her spear into the floor. She fell to her knees in agony.

"Hurry, we could still save them! Gather all of the best medical doctors! Now, Astharoshe!" Seth ordered as she turned to her.

Astharoshe removed her spear from the floor and stood up. "Yes, My Lady!" She said and rushed out to the room to get the doctors.

Lady Caterina opened her eyes and looked at Seth. "Your Majesty…"

Seth rushed over to Lady Caterina's side. "Lady Caterina! Are you all right?"

Lady Caterina nodded slowly. "It's nothing to worry about. It's just a flesh wound, but Tabitha," she looked down at the little girl in her arms, "she needs medical attention right away."

Seth smiled softly. "Don't worry. I have help on the way."

"Good." Lady Caterina said.

* * *

Esther wearily opened her eyes. _"What? What happened? …I must have passed out."_ She slowly began to sit up. She looked up into the sky. The two moons, the Terran moon and the Methuselah moon, shone brightly high up in the sky. She stood up. _"I mustn't lose faith. Abel is counting on me to me in there."_ She walked back down the pathway. She took a different route this time. Hoping that it was the right one.

* * *

Blue lightning engulfed Cain. He screamed madly.

Abel narrowed his eyes in approval.

The blue electricity began to disappear from Cain's body, but still some sparks remained. He placed his right hand up against the tower's wall and leaned on it while his other hand clutched his lance. "I must say I am impressed. However, you are still too weak, brother. Even with all that power you still couldn't destroy me. Now hand over your body."

"Never." Abel said and swung his scythe. Blue electricity engulfed Cain's weary body once again as he screamed painfully. Cain fell to his knees, panting in pain. "Don't you understand, Cain, that good will always prevails over evil?"

Cain looked up at him. His glowing red eyes seemed to pierce Abel. "That's foolishness!" He spat as he stood up. He clutched his lance it his hands. He shot a blast of red electricity at Abel. But to his dismay, Abel acted quickly enough and shot a blast of his blue electricity. The blast coliaded and exploded. Both Cain and Abel were pushed back from the blast.

Abel stood up. He was growing tired. The fact that he was 100 percent crusnik and still sane, was taking a lot of energy from him.

Cain knew this. He stood up and quickly shot another blast of red electricity. It directly hit Abel. Abel roared at the pain and Cain smirked. Abel fell to the knees in pain as he hunched over.

Cain walked over to him. "What's that about good prevailing evil?" He asked, mocking Abel's statement. He giggled wickedly. "Say hello to everyone in Hell for me." Cain said and pointed his lance at Abel. Red electricity formed at the end of the tip.

The red electricity flew out from the top of Cain's lance. It engulfed Abel's body. He roared in pain.

"Goodbye, brother." Cain said in farewell and turned around.

"_Is this the end? Am sorry Esther, I can't…" _Imagines of Esther flooded into his mind.

_I love you, Abel._

_You are my black-winged angel._

"_Esther?"_

Suddenly, Abel gripped his scythe tighter. He slowly stood up as Cain turned around. "You're still alive? How can this be?!" Cain asked.

"Good will prevail. It always does." Abel said as he swung his final strike of blue lightning.

"Nooooo!" Cain yells as the electricity engulfs his body. Slowly his body degenerates into ash. No. Dust. Dust from which man was created from.

* * *

Esther reached the middle of the thorny labyrinth. In the center, there was a pond with a bridge over it. This bridge connected to the other side of the labyrinth. She walked over to the bridge. As she took a few steps onto the bridge, someone came into the center from the other side. She looked at him worried, but relieved. It was Abel. His hair was down and his glasses were gone. His clothes were torn and his face was tired looking and pale, but it light up a bit at the sight of her just as hers did. His hair was down and his glasses were gone.

She ran across the bridge. "Abel!" She called. She was in the middle of the bridged; then suddenly, the floor beneath her disappeared and something seemed to wrap itself around her ankle. It pulled her into the dark waters below. "Abel!!" She screamed.

Panic swept across Abel's face. He ran onto the bridge after her. "Esther!" He yelled as he dove into the dark waters.

She looked up at him. She was being dragged deeper and deeper into the water. She couldn't hold her breath any longer. Her lungs ached. She left her breath go and she inhaled water. Her vision of Abel blurred and soon turned into nothing.

Abel reached for her. She was only a little bit away from him. He swam deeper and deeper with all his remaining energy that he didn't even know he had. He swam under her and transformed into his 40 percent crusnik. Using his clawed fingers, he cut the enchanted rope off of her ankle. He picked up her lifeless body in his face and swam to the surface.

When he broke through the surface, he immediately swam for shore. He crawled onto ground and pulled her body onto the ground. "Oh, please be alive." He whispered as he shifted her body so that her stomach and face faced him. She wasn't breathing. "Breath, breath. Please, breath!" He yelled. Tears were about to form in his eyes. "Please, Esther!" He called, but she didn't respond.

"No. No. You can't die on me." He told her. He leaned down and placed his lips on hers.

* * *

It was dark. Esther couldn't see a thing. She was cold and…wet? Yes, she was wet. She felt like she needed to open her eyes. But weren't her eyes already open? She didn't know. She just knew that she was tired and hurting.

"_Please, Esther!"_ Someone called to her.

Whose voice was this? She didn't know. It sounded familiar to her.

"_No. No. You can't die on me."_

What? She wasn't going to die. Or was she? She was confused now. So confused. Suddenly, her lips felt very warm. So warm that it began to make her hold body warm.

She opened her eyes.

* * *

Esther opened her eyes to see Abel hunched over her.

"Oh, thank goodness." Abel said as he sighed. "I thought I had lost you." He said and hugged her.

"Abel…" she hugged him back.

"My rose hidden in my thorny life. Esther, I thought you had died." He breathed out. He was so exhausted.

"Look now. I'm not dead." She said as she hugged him.

"But I thought you were…" His voiced trailed out as he passed out.

"Abel. Abel?" She looked down at the sleeping man in her arms. "Oh, Abel, you must be so tired." She whispered as she leaned back and let him rest.

* * *

On board the _Iron Maiden II_, Abel and Esther both slept in a resting bed. Esther was curled up into his side and Abel held a protectful arm around her slim body. Kate and the others picked them up after picking up Lady Caterina and Tabitha after receiving word from Abel that he had defeated Cain once and for all. Once the two were aboard the ship and bandaged up, they soon fell asleep in each other's embrace in the bed in the infirmary.

Abel slowly opened his eyes to look down at Esther. He smiled at her. It was all over. He had killed Cain. He sighed. Now what was he to do with his life?

Esther shifted her position.

"_I guess I could marry her."_ Marry her? What was he thinking? She was the queen of Albion. The other nobles wouldn't accept a man like him as their king.

Esther tossed again. It was almost like she disagreeing to his negative statements. He smiled down at her. She was just too beautiful not to smile at.

Esther opened her eyes and looked up to see Abel's loving expression. "Good morning." He said and kissed her forehead.

She smiled and hugged him. "Good morning."

"How are you feeling?" He asked her.

"I'm all right. How about you?"

"Esther…I'm sorry." He apologized.

"Huh?" She pulled back and looked into his eyes. "For what?"

He looked away and replied, "For dragging you in all of this. If I haven't brought you, you wouldn't have suffered this much."

"Abel, I came with you because I loved you. I wanted to be with you. If anyone were at fault for my suffering, it would be me. Not you." She told him and hugged him.

"But still, I'm sorry that you are in some much pain." He told her.

"It's all right. I'm fine."

* * *

Tears flowed down a woman's face. In her hands she clutched a crimson teddy bear that was stained in blood. She stared at the tombstone that read: TABITHA CROMWELL 3058A.D.-3064A.D. Esther fell to her knees as she sobbed. Abel stood behind her. He looked sorrowfully down at both Esther and the tombstone.

"Why? Why did she have to die?" She sobbed. "She was an innocent little girl!"

Abel placed a hand on her shoulder as he kneeled down next to her. "Esther, God just needed to bring her home. She a lot happier in Heaven then she ever will be here."

"But Abel," she turned her body into his, "I loved that girl as if she was my own!"

"I know. I did too, but it's going to be all right. Trust me." He told her as he rubbed her back. "You still have me."

She sniffled. "I know and I'm grateful, but it still hurts." She cried into his chest. "I even promised her that we'd see each other again! But now we can never see each other again! Oh, I am a horrible person to promise something like that."

He hugged her tighter. "No, you're not horrible. I was a natural thing to say. And you will see her again one day. You will in heaven."

She sniffled and pulled back from the hug. "I guess you're right." He lifted his hand and wiped her tears away.

"That's better."

* * *

IN BELOVING MEMORY OF TABITHA CROMWELL

3058A.D.-3064A.AD.

MAY SHE REST IN PEACE AND GOD BLESS HER

AMEN.

Under that saying engraved on the tombstone, there was a red rose and the crimson teddy bear. Snow began to lightly fall on the ground.


	27. Epilogue:A Moment of True Happiness

Chapter 27: Epilogue: A Moment of True Happiness

Esther looked at her reflection in the mirror. She had been back in Albion for quite sometime now. Two months to be exact. It was now the end of December. Christmas had just passed and New Years Eve was this night where we find our crimson haired Queen.

Esther sighed and tucked a strand of red hair behind her ear. She was getting ready for the New Years Ball.

"Your Majesty, your guests are already arriving. Shouldn't you put on your gown?" Her maid––Aeron––asked.

Esther stood and walked over to the window. She pulled the top of her black silk robe closer together as she pulled back the red curtain with he back of her hand. She looked outside into the front yard. Cars and carriages pulled up to the Buckingham Palace. She let the curtain fall back into place as she turned around. "You're right." She told Aeron as she walked over to her large bed where her gown lay.

"My Lady, allow me." Aeron said as she picked up the gown.

"All right." Esther said as she smiled. As Aeron dressed her, Esther spoke again, "Aeron," Aeron looked up at her, "thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, My Lady." She said and continued to dress Esther.

†

Abel stood in the ballroom next to the table with wine and punch on it. He didn't wear his normal priest clothes. Instead he wore a nice tuxedo and a red rose was pinned onto his black jacket. In his hand he held a clear wineglass half-filled with wine. He took a sip. Really he was getting worried. All the guests had arrived but the most important one hadn't arrived yet. Esther still wasn't here yet. He lifted his glass to his lips and took a small sip. Worry was written all over his face.

Leon, who wore a tuxedo like Abel's only he had his top-buttons undone to show off his chest, walked over to the table next to Abel casually. Leon poured himself a glass of wine as he watched Abel stare at the staircase at the end of the grand ballroom. He stopped pouring himself the wine and set the bottle on the table. He walked up right next to Abel. "Worried?"

"Yeah," it registered in Abel's mind just who he was talking to, "eh? No, no! I'm not worried at all!"

"Yeah right. Worry is written all over you face." Leon said as he took a big gulp of wine from his glass.

Abel could only look guilty.

"Don't worry, Abel. She'll be down soon." Leon told him. He patted Abel on the back.

"I just hope you're right."

"Damn right, I am! Oh speak of the devil! There she is right now." He pushed Abel toward the staircase as Abel tired not to spill his wine on him, the floor, or other guests. "Go get her tiger!" Leon told him with a cocky grin.

Abel looked back at Leon and glared at him. He turned his head and looked up the long flight of grand marble stairs. At the top, Esther stood proud, as she looked down at all her guests. She wore a sky blue dress. Sparkly silver snowflakes were attached onto the dress as its design. In her red hair was a silver tiara lined with white diamonds. She gorgeous. Abel could only look up in awe as he watched her gracefully walk down the flight of stairs.

He met her at the end of the stairs. "You're late." He told her as he took her arm and she gently grabbed his arm. They walked to the center of the dance floor.

"A queen is never late. Everyone else is just simply early." She told him with such wisdom, yet with a playful tone.

"All right, Your Majesty." Abel said with a chuckle.

"Abel, I told you that you may call me by my name." She told him.

They were in the middle of the dance floor, under the grand chandelier. "I will, only if you accompany me to a dance." He said as he smiled down at her.

"Sure." She looked up at him with a loving smile. She was getting lost in his eyes. Everything was wonderful. That is until a tap came onto her shoulder. She snapped back into reality and turned around to see a man, who seemed to be in his twenties, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and wore glasses.

"Pardon me," he said quite gentleman like, "Your Majesty," he cleared his throat softly, " if you would, it would be a great honor if you would accompany to this next dance."

Esther glanced up at Abel. He only nodded and smiled at her. She turned to the duke in front of her. "Sure…" she said slowly.

†

Lady Caterina, who wore a slim red dress, took a sip from her glass of wine. She sat at a table next to the wall of the ballroom. Her trusty friend, Vaclav, stood by her side. "Aren't you going to dance, My Lady?" He asked her.

"I would but I'm afraid my leg wound still hasn't healed completely yet." She said with a sigh as she took another sip from her wine.

"Good evening, Lady Caterina." A small, sweet voice said.

Lady Caterina turned her head to her right to see no other than the Empress of the New Human Empire herself dressed in a cute green dress. "Oh, Good evening, Your Majesty."

"How's you're wound doing?" Seth asked as she sat in the seat next to Lady Caterina.

"It's healing. It should be completely healed by next month. How have you been?" She asked Seth.

"All right. Everything is slowly falling back into place."

"That's good." Lady Caterina said as she took a sip from her wine. She looked passed Seth to the middle of the dance floor were Esther was as Esther danced with another Duke or Baron or whatever he was. Lady Caterina looked over to the opened balcony that led outside. He stood there, leaning forward onto the white railing. "What are they doing?" She spoke out loud.

Seth turned around and looked at the dance floor. "What do you mean?" She asked.

"Abel. Esther. Look at them." Lady Caterina said.

Seth's eyes grew wide at the realization. "What are they doing?" She exclaimed. "I'm going to get back at him for doing this! You can clearly tell that she's not having fun with that man she is currently with!"

"Yes," Lady Caterina said, "but he's not having too much fun either."

"We must do something to help." Seth said as an idea developed in her brain. "I just have a the most wonderful plan to do so." A mischievous grin found its way to her face.

†

Abel blew a strand of silver hair away from his face. His breath was like smoke in the night air. His cheeks were rosy and his face was pale, but still it had color in it. He looked up into the clear sky that was painted with bright stars. Half the night had been wasted away and he still hadn't gotten the change to dance with––let alone talk with––Esther. Ever since that day when he and Esther had visited Tabitha's grave, he had been helping Lady Caterina with cleaning up the world from Cain's evil. He had only returned to Esther yesterday.

He leaned on the railing with his arms. He wished Esther was by his side, but she was dancing with out men. He sighed out of jealously. He looked over his shoulder and into the ballroom. It was bright and filled with life and excitement. He looked to see his sister, Seth, and Lady Caterina was sitting at a table talking. Vaclav stood next to them. William was next to the flight of stairs trying to persuade Kate into a dance. Kate just glared at him. She was a human again. William had figured out a way to awaken her from her deep coma that she was in during the past two months. He looked over at the other side of the ballroom to see Leon talking to Aeron as she served him a glass of wine. Clearly, Leon had been drinking a lot. His eyes wander to the center of the ballroom where Esther was dancing with another man.

He turned back to the night sky and garden underneath the balcony. He sighed again. He wanted Esther by his side, but he just could retrieve her. He just couldn't. "It's all over now." He whispered.

"What's all over?" A soft voice asked.

Abel turned as a gentle breeze rustled his silver hair. Goosebumps formed on his skin, but he couldn't tell if they were from the cold air or the woman before him. "Esther…" Her name escaped his lips.

"So, what's all over?" She asked again as she approached him.

He sighed. "My life." He answered.

She looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean?" She asked him. Scared at what she thought he meant.

"Oh, no. My physical life is all right… I think… But anyway, it was my life goal. To defeat Cain and create peace." He sighed and turned to the garden and stars again. "What should I do now? That's what I wonder."

Esther walked up and stood next to him. "What do you want do?" She asked him.

He looked down at her and she looked up at him. His heart pace quickened. "Right now," he whispered, "I would really like to dance with you."

She smiled. "You're wish shall be granted." She said and took his hands in hers and pulled him to the center of balcony. She placed his left hand on her small waist and she held his right. She placed her left hand on his shoulder. The music began to flow from inside out into the balcony. "Ready?" She asked.

He looked down at her and nodded. He would show her something amazing. He led that dance. He literately swept her off her feet. Her blue gown swished at her ankles as they moved to the music. They moved with such grace and love. He spun her and the hem of her gown swished even more. She spun into his embrace. She let her head rest on his chest. She could feel his warmth and hear his heart beat against his chest. It was so peaceful to hear it. They swayed to the tempo of the music. The moonlight clothed them in a certain glow that made everyone else seem old and dirty. He let go of their embrace and began to twirl her around once. They circled each other, almost like the other was prey. But then they grabbed each other's hands and he twirled her into his embrace once again. He kissed the top of her head. "I love you, Esther. Will you marry me?" He asked without thinking with his brain, but his heart.

Esther looked up at him surprised and shocked. "Marry you?" She asked.

He noticed his mistake. "Oh, I'm sorry. I wasn't think––"

"Don't be sorry, Abel," she turned red and looked at his feet, "actually, I'm happy."

"You want to marry me?" He asked. He was surprised that she would want to marry him.

"Of coarse," she looked up at him, "I will, Abel. I love you."

"Esther…"

"And I will always…" Two lips that were placed onto hers cut her off. Abel kissed her so passionately. His hands had captured her cheeks and his lips had captured her lips. It was like they were in heaven. It seemed like forever before they parted. Both them were panting. Their breath looked like smoke. Both of their lips were red and so were their cheeks.

"I must return." She told him. "It's almost midnight."

"I understand." He said as he let his hand slide off her face.

"You're not going to stay out her are you?" She asked with worry. He looked back at her with a face that said "yes". She sighed. "You'll catch your death out here. Come inside with me." She said as she took his hand and led him inside.

"All right." He said as he gave in. He let her drag him for a while. That is until he stood beside her and entwined his long fingers with hers. Her hand was so small compared to his. But it seemed to fit perfectly in his. She looked up at him and smiled. He looked down at her and smiled compassionately. Together they walked back into the ballroom.

"And look at this lovely couple!" Someone said behind them. They turned to see Leon as he whistled. Esther tried to take her hand way from Abel's to safe herself from embracement, but he wouldn't let go. She was in defeat. "All right, Professor, you own me twenty bucks!" He exclaimed as he turned around to look at William as William came up behind him.

"I sorry, Leon, but I just can't do that. Isn't it a sin to gamble?" William said as he removed the pipe from his own lips.

"You guys bet on us?" Esther exclaimed.

"I can't believe you two!" Abel gasped.

"Hey, I knew you two would fall for other anyway, so I didn't bet like these two fools." Kate said as she popped out from behind William as she pointed to the two men.

"Come on! Hand over the money!" Leon yelled at William.

"I'm sorry, but I cannot commit such a sin." William said. "How about a nice music player? I just invented it yesterday! It makes your music sound so much clearer and better––"

"I don't want your damn invention!" Leon snapped.

"Well, well. You who do we have here?" Lady Caterina said as she approached the bunch as she used a wooden cane to help her walk.

"Lady Caterina!" Abel gasped, as he turned red. He couldn't hold in his courage any longer. He let go of Esther's hand and waved his hands in front of his face. "This isn't… What I mean is…"

"Oh! Miss Esther! Are you going to be my sister-in-law now?" Seth chimed as she walked up beside Lady Caterina with Vaclav behind them.

Esther turned as red as her hair. "Um, well, not exactly…"

"Sensors indicate that you are lying, Your Majesty." Abel and Esther turned, while everyone else looked, at Tres behind them. "This is why I know that you are lying." He said and projected a video on the wall next to them. The video was of the two of them as they kissed passionately.

"Tres!!" Esther squeaked and turned even a darker shade of red.

"Tres, I can't believe you!" Abel gasped as both of them tried to cover up the image on the wall.

Everyone, except for Tres, had good laugh at the two of them. Eventually, Abel and Esther both stared to laugh. It was a good memory for them. A moment of true happiness.

A that second the grand grandfather clock in the ballroom chimed for midnight and fireworks exploded in the night sky behind them.

* * *

well that's the end! i thank everyone of you who have been a supporter of this story! it took me a year to finish, but it was worth in it the end. thank you so much for reading and do me a favor and review please! I like to know what you think. please review, thank you. and also, don't forget. there will be a squeal! and before i go let me just ask this…

May I ask you a question?

Has anyone ever taken a Bible and shown you how you can **KNOW** for sure that you're going to heaven?

The Bible contains both **BAD NEWS** and **GOOD NEWS**.

The _bad_ news is something about **YOU**.

The _good _news is aomething about **GOD**.

Let's take a look at the bad news first…

**Bad News #1**

**You are a sinner.**

Romans 3:23 says "For all have sin and come short of the glory of God."

"Sinned" means that we have missed the mark. When we lie, hate, lust, or gossip, we have missed the standard God had set.

Suppose you and I were each to throw a rock and try to hit the north pole. You might throw further than I, but neither of us would hit it. When the Bible says, "All have sinned andfall short," it means that we have all come short of God's standard of perfection.

In thoughts, words, and deeds we have not been perfect.

**But the bed news gets worse…**

**Bad News #2**

**The penalty for sin is death.**

Romans 6:23 says "For the wages of sin is death…"

Suppose you worked for me and I paid yo 50 dollars. That 50 dollars was your wages. That's what you earned.

The Bible says that by sinning er have earned deather. That means we deserve to die and be seprated from God forever.

**But…**

since there was no way you could come to God, the Bible says that God decided to come to you!

**Good News #1**

**Christ died for you.**

Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Suppose you are in a hospital, dying of cancer. I come to you and save, "Let;s take the cancer from _your_ body and put them into _my _body."

If that were possible,

What would happen to me? What would happen to you?

_I would die in your place. I would die instead of you._

The Bible says Christ took the penalty that we deserved for sin, placed iy upon Himself, and _died in out place_.

Three days later Christ came back to life to prove that sin and death had been conquered and that His claims to be God were true.

**Just as the bad news got worse, the good news gets better!**

**Good News #2**

**You can be saved through faith in Christ.**

Ephesians 2:8,9 says "For by grace (undeseved favour) are you saved (delivered from sin's penalty) through faith, and that not of youselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast."

**Faith means _trust_.**

**Q:** What must you trust Christ for?

**A: **You must depend on Him alone to forgive you and give you eternal life.

Just as you trust in a chair to hold you through no effort to hold your own, _so you must trust Jesus Christ to get you to heaven_ through no effort on your own. But you say, "I'm religious." "I go to church." "I don't steal." "I'm a good person." "I help the poor."

These are all good , but good living, going to church, helping the poor, or any other good thing you might do cannot get you to heaven.

**You must trust in Jesus Christ alone, and God will give you eternal life as a gift!**

Does that make sense to you?

**Is there anything keeping you from trusting Christ right now?**

**Think carefully. There is nothing more important than you need to trust Christ.**

Would you like to tell God you are **trusting Jesus Christ as you Savior?**

If you would, why not pray right now and tell God you are His Son?

**Remember!**

It is not a prayer that saves you. It is trusting Jesus Christ that saves you. Prayer is simply how you tell God what you are doing.

If you have any questions feel free to e-mail me! my e-mail is on my profile. I hope that you put you trust in Christ today!


End file.
